I am a food enthusiast regularly on the search for ways to maintain and enhance my low carb way of eating. I had purchased tempeh in the past prior to my weight loss from health food stores to slice and fry as a substitute for fried potatoes (in order to avoid starchy carbs).
I had enjoyed my limited use of tempeh and wanted to do some serious experimentation in the kitchen with this product. At nearly $4.00 for 8-oz of tempeh from the store, I was inspired to make my own tempeh. Although one can find the technique described online or instructions sometimes supplied with tempeh starter, I found the information in this book "The Book of Tempeh" very helpful in overcoming my concerns over culturing this soy food.
Extensive information is provided as to the history of tempeh, its use in Indonesia, where it seems to be very popular. Recipes for use in tempeh include Western and Indonesian dishes. Nutrition information is discussed as well as how to make tempeh on a small to large scale, comparing various techniques. Some of these techniques do involve the use of items such as banana leaves, but preparation with conventional kitchen items is also detailed. The book even describes how to make your own starter. While all of this information might at first seem daunting, the book is an easy read with practical usefulness.
Although I am not a vegetarian/vegan, I recommend trying tempeh as part of a healthier diet. I highly recommend this book if you wish to reduce your healthy/vegetarian diet by making tempeh yourself. Tempeh is fairly versatile and seems to offer much in protein to a diet.