Wida Winarno

Along with her father and son, Wida Winarno founded the Indonesian Tempe Movement in a bid to give the humble fermented soybean the appreciation it deserves.

Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh is a staple of the Indonesian diet. You can get a big block of raw tempeh for only Rp 15,000 (US$1) at the market or spend a few thousand rupiah for some fried tempeh from street vendors.

The fact that tempeh is affordable and ubiquitous makes some people take the protein-rich food for granted. Tempeh even carries a negative meaning in an Indonesian idiom — mental tempe (tempeh mentality) is used to describe a weak mindset.

Food scientist Wida Winarno begs to challenge this view. For her, tempeh deserves a better place than just a side dish.

In an attempt to increase awareness of tempeh as a healthy and sustainable food, Wida founded the Indonesian Tempe Movement in 2014 along with her father, esteemed food science expert Florentinus Gregorius Winarno, and son, food scientist Amadeus Driando Ahnan-Winarno.

“We are reintroducing tempeh to the public so that we, Indonesians, can be proud of it. We also try to promote tempeh on an international level, showing it as Indonesia’s culinary contribution to the world,” Wida told The Jakarta Post recently.

Not your average tempeh: At her tempeh-making workshops, Wida introduces various kinds of tempeh, including tempeh made from five grains — mung beans, red beans, black beans, peanuts and soybeans.

The three founders share a common background in biotechnology, where tempeh is described by Wida to be very much the hot new trend.

“It’s very much adored by the people in that field because tempeh is quite a complex bioreactor but in the form of food,” she explained. “Meanwhile, we Indonesians possess that biotechnology as our daily sustenance, but we are not aware that we have something very precious.”

The Indonesian Tempe Movement regularly holds tempeh-making workshops often participated in by local communities, urbanites, expatriates and students. In addition to that, Wida also brings her tempeh-making expertise to jails and correctional facilities, teaching inmates a skill that can support them building a new life.

Just last Saturday, the movement held its first gathering, the Tempe Movement Fest & Gast in Kemang, Jakarta — a tempeh-themed event comprising discussions, a workshop and an eight-course fine dining experience featuring tempeh dishes.

Slowly but surely, the Indonesian Tempe Movement is shifting the public’s perception of the humble side dish.

Cross-generational project: Wida (right) founded the Indonesian Tempe Movement in 2014 along with her father Florentinus Gregorius Winarno (left) and son Amadeus Driando Ahnan-Winarno (center). The three share a common background in biotechnology.

While most tempeh is made of soybeans, Wida introduced us to five-grain tempeh (made of mung beans, red beans, black beans, peanuts and soybeans). She also showed us that tempeh should not only belong to our diet regime but also our beauty regime with her curious creation of a tempeh face mask.

The art of tempeh making — estimated to have begun on Java at least several centuries ago — is quite complicated. Therefore, Wida developed a simplified method to make it accessible to everyone.

“Sure, we can create tempeh in a more modern way with sterile environments and high-grade equipment, but we are also talking about empowerment,” said Wida, the director of Bogor-based food safety and testing company PT Embrio Biotekindo.

“You don’t need to have a high level of education to make tempeh, and Tempe Movement teaches you to do it in a traditional yet hygienic method.”

With new diets popping up as well as the rise of vegetarianism and veganism, Wida suggested that tempeh could be a “superfood” choice.

Do it yourself: The Indonesian Tempe Movement shares a simple tempeh recipe so participants can make their own tempeh at home.

“This [the protein-rich trait] and a plethora of other health benefits like calcium and antioxidants could be one of the reasons why Indonesian kids in the old days developed well even without a lot of milk,” Wida explained.

Tempeh is also rich in vitamin B12, which is essential for the normal function of the brain, the nervous system and the formation of blood cells.

To promote the nutritional value of tempeh, the movement came up with the #tempechallenge hashtag, which invites fitness enthusiasts to substitute their protein shakes and other supplements with tempeh.

Wida’s son, Driando, took part in the #tempechallenge by consuming at least 60 percent tempeh for his daily protein intake — while going to the gym, practicing yoga and running — for four weeks.

Through his Instagram posts, Driando proudly showed how he developed his abs through the tempeh diet regime.

After holding workshops, a tempeh festival and the #tempechallenge, what’s next in line for the Indonesian Tempe Movement? Wida said she would wait for a flash of inspiration.

“Usually, we don’t have ideas that are super meticulously planned, because something always comes up. Honestly, I don’t have anything planned, but at the moment I want to research more on what we have.”

Tempeh advocate: Wida Winarno founded the Indonesian Tempe Movement to address the public’s lack of appreciation for tempeh.

— Photos courtesy of Wida Winarno and the Indonesian Tempe Movement