Tempeh is a delicious, Indonesian, cultured whole bean soy food with a chewy texture. Whether your interest is in gourmet foods, or cutting back on meat, cholesterol, or calorie consumption for better health, tempeh fills the bill. A vegetarian source of Vitamin B12, this versatile food can be fried in the traditional manner, or baked, broiled, steamed, or barbecued. Easily cultured without special equipment, homemade tempeh tastes and smells wonderful. It slices better and costs far less than commercial tempeh.

The Tempeh mold, Rhizopus oligosporus, that binds the cooked soybeans together into a slice-able cake, is grown on an entirely vegetable medium. Mature spores are harvested and combined with sterile organic rice flour for easy and accurate measuring.

Complete culture directions and recipes are included. One pound of dry soybeans prepared as directed will make 1.75 pounds of tempeh. Preparation time is less than 2 hours. Incubation time is about 24 hours at 85 F (32 C). Kept cool and dry, it has at least a 6 month shelf life at full potency.