Vegetarian Ventures: Tempeh

Before I met Z, tofu disgusted me. The texture just totally freaked me out - until I tried it in a variety of dishes, with a slew of different flavors. I grew to love tofu. But, it wasn't until a few weeks ago - when I had dinner at my older sister's house - that I tried tempeh, which reminded me a lot of tofu, but with more texture and a little bit more flavor on its own.

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Tempeh is "made by the controlled fermentation of cooked soybeans with a Rhizopus mold (tempeh starter)." Tempeh is a complete protein food that contains all the essential amino acids, and is very versatile in terms of cooking methods and how it can be prepared. One of the most common ways to prepare it is to slice and fry the tempeh until the surface is crisp and golden brown.

When I first tried tempeh at my sister's house, she had cubed the tempeh (and some tofu), and cooked them in a rice bake with black beans and peppers - and sprinkled a generous amount of cheese on the top of the dish, which was delicious and melty by the time it arrived at the table. I loved the additional texture the tempeh had (in comparison to the tofu), and my sister informed me that tempeh comes in several different flavors at the grocery store. I'm definitely going to have to try them all, especially because tempeh is such a great source of protein.

What new foods have you tried lately?

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