Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans.
Cooked soybeans are inoculated with a mold culture, usually Rhizopus oligosporus, and incubated until the beans bind into a firm cake. The fermentation gives tempeh a nutty flavor and dense texture. It can be sliced, seasoned, fried, steamed, or added to larger dishes.
Tempeh originated in Java and has been part of Indonesian food culture for centuries. It is often eaten as a side dish or snack, including in thin fried slices known as tempeh goreng.
Tempeh is sometimes confused with tofu. Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk, while tempeh keeps the whole beans intact and uses fungal fermentation. Natto is another fermented soybean food, but it has a very different sticky texture and Japanese origin.