How to make tempeh with urid dall chilka
PLEASE NOTE: this tutorial is for colder countries where the temperature in your house is no more than 22C. If your room temperature is above 27C, there is no need to cover the beans with tea towels or electric blanket. Just leave the batch in a safe place. How do I know when the house is around 27C? If I walk around the house in a tank top, or my underwear, or bikini. Heatwave, baby!
In this tutorial I continue my mission to demonstrate that it is possible to make tempeh with any beans. On this occasion I used urid dall chilka.
This tempeh fermented faster than both yellow split peas and soybeans because the kernels are smaller. As the beans were already split I found this tempeh quite easy to make.
- 500 grams of urid dall chilka (black matpe beans - can be found in Asian grocers)
- 5 tablespoons of 5% acidity white vinegar or apple cider vinegar or juice of a lemon
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of Tempehtation starter (please check the instruction on the label)
- Clean tap water
- A large pot to soak and boil the beans
- A large strainer
- Tea towels to dry the beans
- An electric fan (optional)
- Satay stick to make holes in the plastic bag (or a large needle if you have one). Sanitise the stick by pouring hot boiling water on it and leaving to dry for 1 hour
- Plastic zip lock bags (this can be reused) or biodegradable plastic bags
After rinsing, the beans must be soaked and immerse overnight.Prior to cooking, strain off the water, rinse under the tap several times and replace with fresh clean water.
Add 5 tablespoons of vinegar. Switch on the hob on high and when the beans start to boil, switch on the timer and cook for 8 minutes. Scoop off and remove the froth out of the pan.
After boiling, strain off the water, let the water to drip off and leave to cool for at least half an hour.
Once cooled allow for the beans to dry on double tea towels. An electric fan will help to dry them faster. Dry until there is no more surface moisture.
Add Tempehtation starter
and mix through evenly.
The urid dall have expanded from 500 gram to 791 gram.
Transfer to zip lock bags. Perforate using the satay stick at a distance about 1cm. Ensure thickness no more than 2.5cm.
Place the packed beans on a clean tray and wrap it around with 2 clean bath towels. The incubator temperature I have set for the tempeh to ferment was 27C. Leave them undisturbed.
After 24-30 hours some tiny condensation will appear . The white mycelium are visible. Remove the towels carefully and leave undisturbed in a cooler room.
Urid dall chilka tempeh is done when the beans surface is completely covered in white mycelium. the whole process took 3 days. Congratulations!
The tempeh texture was firm and solid similar to soybeans tempeh. The aroma is quite fragrant and mushroomy.






