As lockdowns brought the focus back to home pantries, entrepreneurs began upgrading familiar staples to make it easier to put together quick, tasty meals
Tempeh Chennai
“I am a very bad cook,” laughs Samta Rohira disarmingly. Fortunately, for the many fans of her soybean and chickpea tempeh, that did not deter her from experimenting to find ways to make and supply the nutrient-dense, fermented food in Chennai. Sought for its unique flavour, tempeh is tough to find in the city since it is relatively unfamiliar. However, this savoury alternative to meat, a traditional staple in Indonesia, is getting increasingly popular especially with vegans and vegetarians.
“My mom was born in Surabaya, so we travel to Indonesia every year,” says Samta. “We used to spend our summer holidays there, for two months a year when I was growing up.” Her family was based in Chennai, where she grew up before moving to Jakarta to work for five years after graduating from Ethiraj College for Women. “Then I got married and landed back in Chennai,” she says.
To make meal planning easier, she also makes a chilli garlic sambal. “People buy both together — so you can put together a meal in minutes,” says Samta, adding, “I eat like this all the time: steamed rice, sambal, pan fried tempeh and veggies on the side.”