CultureAugust 13, 2026

tempeh

TEM-pay

Definition

A traditional Indonesian soy product made by fermenting cooked soybeans with a fungus, which binds the beans into a firm, solid cake.

Etymology

The word originates from Javanese, where 'tempe' refers to the fermented soybean cake. It entered the English language in the 20th century as interest in plant-based, traditional Indonesian foods grew globally.

In the news

The article uses tempeh as a point of comparison to describe the fermentation method Millow uses, noting that while their process is similar to tempeh production, Millow's result provides a different, meatier texture.

Millow raises $2.3m, gears up for commercial launch of minimally processed alt meat

Read the full article ↗

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