Moldy Soybeans

I'm addicted to moldy soybeans.

Well...the whole soybeans are cultured in a controlled fermentation process and are bound together into cake form by white moldy particles called mycelium. The lovely moldy soybeans are also known as tempeh! Tempeh originated in Indonesia. It's got a nutty flavor and is high in protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins. They're used often in western vegetarian cuisine as a substitute for meat products. It's got kind of a strong taste. Not everyone's a fan.

I was first introduced to tempeh by the neighborhood Whole Foods on P and 14th in DC. They had a curried tempeh salad in the salad bar. Here in Aceh, tempeh is seen as a poor man's food, and my staff often make fun of me for liking it so much. I can get a big hunk of tempeh wrapped in banana leaf for about 20 cents at the local market. Tempeh can be cooked in a variety of ways, since the white moldy part is like a sponge and will soak up any kind of liquid around it. In Java, marinaded tempeh or tempeh bacem is quite popular. The tempeh chunks are marinated in soy, sugar and tamarind. In Aceh, the most common way to have tempeh is thinly fried pieces that kaki-lima (5 leg food stands) sell in the late afternoon to just before evening prayers. The fried stands also fry up banana, sweet potatoes, stuffed tofu, and my favorite - the fried breadfruit! Oooh they're so heavenly when freshly fried and then dipped in the sweet sticky soy sauce with green chili!

The bag full of friend goodies on the coffee table has inspired me to write this post.

Here is a tempeh recipe for you adventurous eaters. You can find tempeh near the packaged tofu in your local high-end grocery store. It'll cost more than 20 cents!

Tempeh Satay

• 1 package of tempeh, cubed (1/2 inch)
  
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• red chili
  
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 small piece of ginger, but galangal is better if you can find it
  
• 1 lemon grass
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Put the onion, garlic, red chili, lemon zest, ginger/galangal, lemon grass in a blender.

Mix the spices with coconut milk and boil. Add the tempeh cubes and continue boiling until the liquid is reduced to about half. Cool down.

Put the tempeh cubes onto satay skewers and barbeque each side until golden brown.