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I was so fascinated when I first realized that we can make homemade tempeh with just about any legume and not just soy beans. I have already shared my recipe for making White Chickpea (Kabuli Chana) Tempeh at home, and in this post, we will talk about making Kala Chana or Black Chickpea Tempeh. Kala chana is a very nutritious legume that is good to eat regularly. Making tempeh with it further increases its nutritional value by making its nutrients more bio-available to the human body.

Making homemade tempeh (“tempu”) with black chickpeas is super easy due to a couple of reasons. Due to their tough outer skin, there is hardly any chance of black chickpeas overcooking or becoming mushy. Secondly, there is no need to dehull. Since both white and black chickpeas have higher carbohydrate and sugar content than soy beans, chickpea tempeh made with either tends to incubate faster. It is usually ready for harvest after 24 to 26 hours of incubation. Black chickpea tempeh has a very “desi” vibe and tastes great in typical Indian recipes like bhurji, sundal, usili, gravy subzi, tikki, etc.

If the idea of making tempeh at home feels a bit overwhelming to you, let me assure you, it is really very easy! You can comfortably grow different types of tempeh in a simple Indian home. Check out this post, Homemade Tempeh: Tips for Beginners, for the basic tips before you begin.

Homemade Black Chickpea Tempeh (Kala Chana Tempeh, Soy-free)

Time taken: 20 minutes cooking time + 2 hours cooling time + incubating time (24-26 hours)

Yields: approx. 4-5 hearty servings

1 Indian teacup = 150 ml

Ingredients

· 2 cups dried black chickpeas

· 2 teaspoons vinegar (any kind; I use ACV)

· 2 teaspoons rice flour/besan

· 1/2 the contents of 1 sachet Alla Posh tempeh starter*

Cooking the black Chickpeas

1. Soak the black chickpeas overnight (8 to 12 hours) in warm water. Drain and rinse.

2. Pressure cook the black chickpeas with adequate fresh water for 12-13 whistles on medium-high heat. The chickpeas should be cooked al dente, i.e., fully cooked and firm to the bite. It should not be under-cooked.

3. Once the black chickpeas have cooled down, chop them up roughly; you can leave some of the chickpeas intact. This process is important to ensure easy packaging of the inoculated chickpeas and uniform fermentation of the tempeh block. Keeping all the chickpeas whole will make it difficult for the spores in the starter to work effectively.

The Drying Process

1. Take the black chickpeas in a big bowl and sprinkle the vinegar on them. Toss well so that each piece is uniformly coated.

2. Heat a heavy-bottomed or non-stick kadhai, and pour in the wet black chickpeas. Maintain the heat on a low-to-medium level and stir the chickpeas occasionally, letting the extra surface moisture evaporate. Switch off the heat after 4-5 minutes once most of the surface moisture has evaporated.

3. Take 2-3 large plates/trays, and spread out the chickpeas evenly in thin layers and keep to cool down and air dry. You may place the plates/trays under a fan. Let the chickpeas dry completely; they should be 100% dry to the touch with no surface moisture. This may take around 30-40 minutes in the humid summer months in India.

4. Once the black chickpeas are completely dry, transfer them to a clean, big bowl.

How to Inoculate

1. In a small dry bowl, take half the contents of a sachet of Alla Posh tempeh starter culture (around 1.5 to 2 gm) and add the besan/rice flour to it. Mix well.

2. Sprinkle this powder all over the cooked, cooled, chopped, and dried black chickpeas. Toss and mix well for several seconds until each piece is uniformly coated with the starter-besan/rice flour combo.

3. Take a small ziplock bag and prick holes at 1-inch intervals using a toothpick. Now spoon all the black chickpeas into it. Press out all the air from the bag and seal it. You may have to fold the bag to reduce its size.

4. Place the bag on a flat surface. Use your hands to gently press the chickpeas down to form a uniform block about 1 inch thick.

The Incubation

1. Place the ziplock bag on a wire-rack tray and keep it to incubate undisturbed in a warm but well-ventilated area. For the best results, place a tray of water underneath.

2. If you don’t have a wire-rack tray, simply spread a clean kitchen towel on the counter and place the ziplock bag on it.

3. The inoculated chickpeas will start to generate its own heat after about 10 to 12 hours.

4. Between 12 and 15 hours of incubation, you will be able to see some light condensation and the beginning of some white mycelium growth.

5. The mycelium will continue to grow and thicken rapidly over the next few hours, binding the chickpeas in a firm white layer called the “tempeh mushroom.” Flip the packet over at 18 to 20 hours to ensure even air circulation.

6. Your black chickpea tempeh is ready for harvesting when the entire surface is covered with thick, white “tempeh mushroom” and feels firm to the touch. It should be a solid cake and smell like lightly fermented idli batter at the time of harvesting. This can take around 24 to 26 hours in Indian summers and longer in winters.

Harvesting and Storage

1. Remove the tempeh block from the ziplock bag once it is ready. Steam the tempeh for 10 to 12 minutes to soften it and to remove any bitterness from the fermentation.

2. Once cooled, you can store the tempeh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You may also pack the tempeh in a ziplock bag and freeze it for up to two months.

Notes:

*I suggest you use Alla Posh soy or non-soy tempeh starter culture to make this batch. Yes, soy tempeh starter culture can be used for non-soy tempeh as well. A single sachet contains 3 to 4 gms of starter culture powder. For the quantity of chickpeas mentioned in this post, we need 1/2 of this amount, i.e., 1.5 to 2 gms.

*Tempeh starter cultures from different brands may differ in quality, so I recommend Alla Posh as it is tried and tested by me and the members of my Homemade Tempeh WhatsApp group.

*You can easily halve or double this recipe. For beginners, I would recommend halving the recipe for the first few attempts.

Also see:

Homemade Tempeh: Tips for Beginners

How to Make Homemade Tempeh Starter?

How to Know if My Homemade Tempeh is Ready?

11 Varieties of Soy & Non-Soy Tempeh to Make at Home

11 Exciting Ideas to Use Tempeh in Indian Cuisine