Processed

Tempeh Culture

Tempeh culture is a Rhizopus mould inoculum—classically Rhizopus oligosporus or R. oryzae—used to ferment dehulled, cooked soybeans (or other legumes and grains) into a firm, sliceable cake bound by white mycelium. The culture defines tempeh’s nutty, mushroomy character and the dense hyphal mat that holds beans together for grilling and frying. Home and factory makers use freeze-dried spore powders or traditional usar leaf inocula. Incubation near human-warm temperatures for roughly a day yields a fragrant white cake; over-incubation greys or blackens with sporangia and stronger ammonia notes. Clean, food-grade culture prevents unwanted bacteria on the moist bean bed.

Also known as: Ragi Tempe / Usar, Tempeh Starter, Tempeh Culture / Rhizopus Starter