IT'S THE TIME TO TEMPEH!

Meet tempeh, the protein powerhouse your vegetarian diet needs

- SMITA TRIPATHI

Vegetarians rejoice. There’s a new kid on the block to take care of most of your protein requirements, and what’s more, there’s nothing fake about it! Tempeh, traditional to Indonesians and a part of their diet for centuries, has caught the imagination of people globally over the past few years as a meat substitute and is now making inroads into Indian kitchens as well.

The tempeh craze is riding on the plant-based protein wave all over the world. The global tempeh market, valued at $3.8 billion in 2022, is expected to reach $6.3 billion by 2032, expanding at a CAGR of 5.3%, according to DataHorizzon Research, a market research and consulting firm.

So, what exactly is tempeh, and why is it becoming popular? Tempeh is basically fermented soya bean, where soya bean is cooked, dehulled, and then combined with a starter culture containing a specific strain of fungus called Rhizopus oligosporus. This fungus binds the soya bean together, forming a dense cakelike structure with a whitish mycelium network. This can then be sliced and diced and used for cooking. It has 60% water, 20% protein, 8% carbohydrates, and about 12% fat.

Tempeh is firmer than tofu and has a grainier texture and nuttier flavour, making it more versatile. But it is tempeh’s gutenhancing quality—which helps boost the immune system—that has got the world to sit up and take note. “Tempeh is fermented, so [it] is easy to digest. It provides calcium, magnesium, zinc, and lots of vitamin B, besides of course being a high source of protein. It has 19 gm of protein per 100 gm, making it an ideal source of protein, especially for vegetarians,” says Kavita Devgan, a Delhibased nutritionist and author of books such as The Don’t-Diet Plan and The Immunity Diet.