Indonesian Origins of Tempe(h): Healing Our Relationship with Soybean
Sunday, March, 17 2024
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
with Ria Ibrahim
Contrary to the common thought that soybeans came to Indonesia by the Dutch in the 1600s from China, there was already a thriving native soybean (black soybeans) in Indonesian islands pre-colonization. Soybeans are an integral part of Indonesian nourishment in the form of témpé. Tempeh is an ancestral fermented food originating in Indonesia thousands of years ago, made from inoculating soybeans with Rhizopus oligosporus fungus. The growing popularity of tempe in the United States began in the 1960’s with the creation of tempe companies started by Indonesian-Americans offering a meat substitute that offers high protein, vitamins and minerals. While soy is an ancestral plant that humans have been in relationship to for thousands of years, with the rise of colonization, soy was commodified and became a cash crop, to this day soy continues to be exploited and abused, creating devastating impacts on ecologies such as the Amazon rainforest. How do we come into reciprocal relationship with soy?
Join Ria as she shares her relationship and knowledge of historical and indigenous food preservation practices. Learn about tempeh preservation and fermentation from Lakawali, a village of South Sulawesi Indonesia. These traditions have been passed down through generations of Ria's family and her village, where soy has been a major protein source for thousands of years. Soybean is beyond a commodity it is a sacred and ancient food source that has been and continues to be significant to East/Southeast Asian cuisine. Through learning some of the story of soybean pre-colonization and how communities to this day continue to be in relationship with soy, we invite you to re-imagine your own relationship with this plant.
Sunday, March, 17 2024
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
with Ria Ibrahim
Contrary to the common thought that soybeans came to Indonesia by the Dutch in the 1600s from China, there was already a thriving native soybean (black soybeans) in Indonesian islands pre-colonization. Soybeans are an integral part of Indonesian nourishment in the form of témpé. Tempeh is an ancestral fermented food originating in Indonesia thousands of years ago, made from inoculating soybeans with Rhizopus oligosporus fungus. The growing popularity of tempe in the United States began in the 1960’s with the creation of tempe companies started by Indonesian-Americans offering a meat substitute that offers high protein, vitamins and minerals. While soy is an ancestral plant that humans have been in relationship to for thousands of years, with the rise of colonization, soy was commodified and became a cash crop, to this day soy continues to be exploited and abused, creating devastating impacts on ecologies such as the Amazon rainforest. How do we come into reciprocal relationship with soy?
Join Ria as she shares her relationship and knowledge of historical and indigenous food preservation practices. Learn about tempeh preservation and fermentation from Lakawali, a village of South Sulawesi Indonesia. These traditions have been passed down through generations of Ria's family and her village, where soy has been a major protein source for thousands of years. Soybean is beyond a commodity it is a sacred and ancient food source that has been and continues to be significant to East/Southeast Asian cuisine. Through learning some of the story of soybean pre-colonization and how communities to this day continue to be in relationship with soy, we invite you to re-imagine your own relationship with this plant.
Sunday, March, 17 2024
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
with Ria Ibrahim
Contrary to the common thought that soybeans came to Indonesia by the Dutch in the 1600s from China, there was already a thriving native soybean (black soybeans) in Indonesian islands pre-colonization. Soybeans are an integral part of Indonesian nourishment in the form of témpé. Tempeh is an ancestral fermented food originating in Indonesia thousands of years ago, made from inoculating soybeans with Rhizopus oligosporus fungus. The growing popularity of tempe in the United States began in the 1960’s with the creation of tempe companies started by Indonesian-Americans offering a meat substitute that offers high protein, vitamins and minerals. While soy is an ancestral plant that humans have been in relationship to for thousands of years, with the rise of colonization, soy was commodified and became a cash crop, to this day soy continues to be exploited and abused, creating devastating impacts on ecologies such as the Amazon rainforest. How do we come into reciprocal relationship with soy?
Join Ria as she shares her relationship and knowledge of historical and indigenous food preservation practices. Learn about tempeh preservation and fermentation from Lakawali, a village of South Sulawesi Indonesia. These traditions have been passed down through generations of Ria's family and her village, where soy has been a major protein source for thousands of years. Soybean is beyond a commodity it is a sacred and ancient food source that has been and continues to be significant to East/Southeast Asian cuisine. Through learning some of the story of soybean pre-colonization and how communities to this day continue to be in relationship with soy, we invite you to re-imagine your own relationship with this plant.