“I think people classify it as a meat substitute,” Lee says of tempeh, but it’s so much more. “It’s considered a really celebrated source of food for Indonesians,” who often rely on tempeh as their main source of protein, along with fish. So let tempeh be tempeh. Don’t just consider it as a one-for-one swap for, say, a steak or piece of chicken. Look for recipes that call for it and play to its strengths.
Tempeh works well in a variety of dishes, including soups, stews, stir-fries, sauces, kebabs and sandwiches, whether it’s treated the same way as meat or not. Tempeh can be cut into strips, cubes or steaks. It can be grated or crumbled.
Among the preparations to consider, Lee recommends baking, steaming, boiling and frying. Overall, the more surface area that is browned, especially in frying (whether deep or shallow), the better it tastes, giving that “lovely crunch that’s super moreish,” Lee says. What she does not recommend: eating raw pasteurized tempeh, which will not be appealing in flavor or texture and might turn you off it for good.
Tempeh acts like a sponge, meaning it’s ideal for marinating, which can be done in as little as 15 minutes, though longer is also fine. Marinating works well if you plan to deep- or pan-fry, Lee says, because it allows the ingredients to penetrate the interior before the exterior is sealed in browning. But marinating is not mandatory, especially if you’re planning to simmer tempeh in a broth or stew, when flavors will be absorbed during the cooking process. Another option is to glaze, which can be done at the end of cooking after, say, pan-frying. You can also glaze during cooking. Lee likes to baste tempeh with kecap manis, an Indonesian sweet soy sauce, every few minutes as it bakes. You can try Lee’s frying-glazing combo in her recipe for Sweet Soy Tempeh (Tempe Manis).
