Tempeh DIY

I'm on a fermented foods frenzy here. Now it's time for tempeh.

Tempeh is an indonesian fermented soy product loaded with protein.

It's got a nutty flavor and has got a tender but firm texture.

Again i collected information from many sources and did this:

1) Ordered tempeh starter (the mold spores) online.

2) Soaked 500 grams of soy beans for 10+ hours

3) De-hulled the beans by kneading and squeezing them for ever. (This part truly is a bore)

4) Cooked the soybeans for 30 min with 4 tbsp of apple cider vinegar added to the cooking water.

5) Drained the beans and dried them by returning the pot to low heat, constantly stirring.

6) Leaving the beans to cool.

7) Added the tempeh starter.

8) Packed in plastic bags, perforated every 1 cm or so.

Here it is 'sweating' away, mold growing.

9) Left to incubate at 29-30 degrees celcius for 27 hrs. I made a weird construction from chopsticks, cardboard and kitchen towels. I placed it on the top of my fridge, using the heat from the back of the fridge to keep the temperature high.

I think it's ready...

Finished tempeh

Grains, seeds and nuts can be added to make mixed tempeh. Also soy beans can be substituted by other beans or nuts. In future experiments I will try that for sure.

Inspiration:
http://www.tempeh.info/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTNoPrYmBGU

http://www.veganbaking.net/vegan-recipes/other-vegan-eats/how-to-make-tempeh.html

http://www.soya.be/how-to-make-tempeh.php
http://www.toomanychefs.net/archives/001785.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H3d9uJVYA0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHm1ukruZ_s&feature=related

Thai Style Yellow and White Carrot Salad

Ingredients

Salad:
Carrots - of any colour
Garlic
Ginger
Unripe black pepper
Roasted sesame seeds
Red chili
Coriander leaves
Spring onions
Roasted cashew nuts or peanuts

Dressing:
Rice vinegar
Mirin
Lime juice
Sesame oil
Salt

Directions

Thinly slice the carrots and finely chop the chili, garlic, ginger, onions and fresh coriander leaves.
Mix the dressing with pepper, chili, coriander leaves, onions, garlic and ginger.
Add carrots and give it all a good toss.
Sprinkle with cashews and sesame seeds.

Kimbap with Kimchi

Rice:

2 1/2 dl korean rice or sushi rice
4 dl water

1 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Mix oil, vinegar, sugar and salt well while boiling the rice. Stir in gently after the rice have settled and cooled a little. 

Making perfect rice is an ART - find your own way...

Stuffing:

Cucumber
Avocado
Pickled ginger
Sesame seeds

Horse radish
Tofu
Spring onions
Blanched savoy cabbage

Umeboshi Purée
Carrot
Blanched spinach
Pickled radish

or whatever combination you prefer.

Roll like maki sushi. 

Check out how Maangchi rolls.

or the turbo roll.

Serve with kimchi.

Kimchi

This kimchi is 1 month old.

Ingredients

Salt
1 napa cabbage
1/4 dl sweet rice flour
1 1/2 dl water
1/4 dl sugar
1 dl save-the-fish sauce 
1/ - 1 dl red pepper flakes 고추가루  
4 chopped cloves of garlic
2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 tbsp chopped onion
4 chopped scallions

Directions 

Cut cabbage twice lenghtswise. Wash thoroughly. Rub carefully with salt, making sure that salt goes everywhere. 

Leave to rest for two hours. Then massage and turn and leave to rest for another three hours.

Mix sweet rice flour, water and sugar until it becomes translucent. Cool a little and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Wash the cabbages thoroughly - and then once again. Wring in order to get as much excess water out.

Wear gloves and carefully spread the mixture everywhere on the cabbage. Finally massage gently.

Fill into a sterilized glass jar with a sealing lid. Leave for two days in room temperature in order to ferment. Store in the fridge.

The flavor develops a lot over time.

Check out Maangchi making non-vegan kimchi for procedure details.

Cucumber Kimchi

Ingredients
2 big or 6 small cucumbers for Pickling
sea salt

4 scallions
1 very small yellow or white onion
3 tbsp of sesame seeds
3 - 4 red pepper flakes 고추가루
2 tbsp Save-The-Fish Sauce (or some salt)
1 tsp of sugar
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of sesame oil

Directions
Cut the cucumbers into chunks, slices or do like Aeri.
Rub/coat the cucumbers in salt and leave to sit.
While waiting mix the rest of the ingredients.
Rinse cucumbers thoroughly when ready after 20 - 30 minutes.
Mix everything together and store in glass jars in the fridge.
Can be served immediately but is best after a day or two.

Save-The-Fish Sauce

Save the fish! - when recipes call for fish sauce - use this substitute :D

Ingredients
1 handful of dried seaweed - e.g. wakame, arame, hijiki (the stronger the taste of sea - the better)
2 dried shredded shitake mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic, slightly crushed
Boiling water to cover the seaweed, mushrooms and garlic
6 black peppercorns
5-10 tbsp rice vinegar
5-10 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp white miso (optional)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Directions
Cover the seaweed, mushrooms and garlic with boiling water and leave for at least an hour to sit.
Add the rest of the ingredients - add tamari or salt and rice vinegar until very salty and sour.
Leave to sit in the fridge for a day or so.
Filter and store in the fridge.

Pumpkin and Smoked Tofu Dumplings

Serves 2-3

Ingredients
15 - 20 dumpling wraps

Stuffing:
1 small Hokkaido - steamed or oven roasted till tender
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 handful of finely chopped spring onions
1 handful of chopped fresh coriander
½ - 1 tbsp korean chilli flakes 고추가루
½ tbsp tamari
100 g finely chopped smoked tofu
½ tbsp sesame oil

Directions
Mix all ingredients and wrap them up.

Steam for 10+ minutes

- or fry.
Add a little oil to a frying pan. Heat and place dumplings. Cover bottom with water. Fry for 15 minutes under lid, until water is evaporated.

Serve as they are with Dumpling Dipping Sauce or in broth:

Korean Dumpling Dipping Sauce

⅓ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1tbsp korean chilli flakes 고추가루
1 tbsp scallions
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 heaped tbsp roasted ground sesame seeds

Mix and serve.

Wakame and Mushroom Salad

Serves 2 - me and my quest star cook - providing wakame brought back from Korea

Ingredients
2 handful of soaked and quickly simmered wakame
3 handful of fried mushroom - we used yellow oyster, common oyster, button and shitake
Roasted sesame seeds
Sesame oil
Rice vinegar
Mirin
Salt to taste

Directions
Mix and serve.

Rice Paper Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Rolls:

Ingredients:

Rice paper
1 clove garlic
1 small piece of ginger
½ red onion
1 grated carrot
2 dl small pieces of broccoli
2 dl mild sprouts
100 g smoked tofu
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Salt

Directions:

Sauté onions, garlic and ginger.
Add carrots broccoli, sprouts and sesame seeds
Salt to taste.
Soften rice papers one or two at a time.
Fill 'em and roll 'em.


Sauce:

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp peanutbutter
1½ tbsp tamari
1½ spsk rice vinegar
1 red thai chilli, seeds taken out
Juice of ½ a lime
1 tbsp agave or maple syrup

Directions:

Blend everything.