OK we admit it: At Root Kitchen we've become slightly addicted to trying out recipes that include Tempeh. So much so that we thought we'd write a blog post all about why this Indonesian delight is an awesome addition addition to your plant based diet.

Tempeh is a fantastic plant-based protein source prepared by fermenting soybeans resulting is a firm, dense and chewy 'cake' that has a delicious, slightly nutty almost mushroom-like flavour.  Tempeh has been a key ingredient in Indonesian cuisine since the 1800's and is commonly used in everyday cooking.  It first started to appear in UK supermarkets around three years ago however has been available in specialist whole foods retailers before that. 

Aside from it's naturally earthy flavour, Tempeh is excellent for taking on flavours from anything you use to marinade or cook it with making it a versatile ingredient  for a variety of dishes, from curries and stir fries, to salads and sandwiches.  We've also experimented with crumbling it in dishes such as bolognese and lasagne as a substitute for mince, and with BBQ season just around the corner it can be marinated and grilled to give a delicious and healthy alternative to meat.  

Tempeh provides a lot of health positives to complement its delicious flavour.  It contains many natural vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, manganese, and phosphorus.  Oh and also it has no cholesterol!  It is also an excellent source of vegan protein and has the added benefit that acids that would usually be found in soybeans are broken down by the fermentation process, resulting in a protein that is very easy to digest. 

As you can see Tempeh is pretty awesome.  As part of our next wave of menu development we want to be releasing some vegan ready made meals that contain this versatile ingredient, the only issue is that with so much choice we're struggling to decide which way to go!  Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.