Menjes — Malang, Indonesia

Menjes belongs to the same family of fermented, mould-bound cakes as tempeh, but is made from what tempeh-making and oil-pressing leave behind, such as peanut press cake or soybean pulp, rather than from whole soybeans. Bound together by the same white mould culture, it sets into a firm cake that is sliced and fried, denser and more strongly flavoured than plain tempeh. It is reported from Malang, in East Java, where it developed as a practical way of using leftover material from other food-making processes rather than letting it go to waste. It is sold cheaply at markets and eaten as an everyday side dish or snack, often alongside rice and a spicy sambal. The press cake or pulp is steamed, cooled and mixed with a fermentation starter, then packed into a mould, often a banana leaf parcel or a shallow tray, and left to sit for about a day until the white mould has bound it into a firm, sliceable block. The block is cut into thin pieces, sometimes seasoned lightly, and deep-fried until the outside is crisp and golden while the inside stays soft. Within the broader family of fermented, mould-bound soy and legume cakes of Java, menjes stands apart mainly through its raw material: rather than whole beans, it is built from pressed byproducts, which gives it a coarser texture and a stronger, more savoury flavour once fried. Some vendors season the slices before frying; others fry them plain and serve chilli sauce on the side.