How to make Tempeh
Ingredients:
500 g dried soybeans
2 teaspoons Tempeh Starter
3 tablespoons vinegar
Soak the beans: Place the beans in a large bowl and cover them by 3 inches with water. Let stand overnight or at least 12 hours.
De-hull and split the beans: The hulls or skins need to be removed in order for the spores to inoculate the beans. Using your hands or a potato masher, knead and squeeze the beans so that the hulls fall off and the beans split in half. This is the most labor-intensive part of the tempeh-making process and may take 10 to 20 minutes. Don't worry about de-hulling and splitting every last bean, but do try to get a majority of them. Periodically stir the water so the hulls to float to the surface; skim them off and discard them.
Cook the beans: Drain the beans, transfer them to a large pot, and cover by 2 inches with fresh water. Bring to a boil. Skim off and discard any foam or hulls that rise to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes.
Prepare the zip-top bags: While the beans are cooking, prepare the bags. Using the skewer or a large needle, prick holes in the bags at 1-inch intervals.
Dry the beans: Drain the beans. Spread them out on two towel-lined baking sheets and pat them dry.
Cool the beans: Let the beans cool to below body temperature.
Add the vinegar: Transfer the beans to a clean, dry bowl. Sprinkle the vinegar over the beans and mix well. Adding vinegar lowers the pH and prevents the growth of unwanted bacteria.
Add the tempeh starter: Sprinkle the tempeh starter over the beans and mix for about a minute to distribute evenly.
Fill the bags: Divide the beans between the two bags.
Flatten the bags: Seal the bags and flatten the beans out evenly.
Incubate the tempeh: Place the bags in the incubator. The temperature must be between 85°F and 90°F for the next 24 to 48 hours, so periodically check to make sure the temperature is consist