September 2022

Tempe is known as a traditional food native to Indonesia. It has existed since the 16th century in Java, and Indonesia remains one of the world’s largest producers of tempe. Beyond being a staple side dish served with rice, tempe is also processed into a wide variety of snacks and souvenirs unique to certain regions. In applying the Project Based Learning (PBL) model, projects for the secondary school unit are naturally more complex than those for primary pupils. This semester, the very first project for Al Siddiq International’s Year 7 students was to produce their own tempe – starting from preparing the raw ingredients, managing the process through to completion, and finally tasting the result. Given tempe’s close connection with the daily lives of Indonesians, many were curious: how is tempe actually made? As it turns out, the process is not as complicated as one might imagine. This was precisely the experience of Al Siddiq International’s secondary students, who carried out each stage within their groups – from washing the soybeans, boiling and drying them, to storing them in containers for the fermentation process. Why, then, the emphasis on “Tempe à la Al Siddiq” in the title above? Is there any significant difference between ordinary tempe and the one produced by Al Siddiq’s Year 7 students? Indeed, there is. The uniqueness lies in the addition of flowers and leaves to the soybeans. Butterfly pea flowers, rose petals, moringa leaves, and nori (seaweed) were all incorporated as complementary ingredients. And what was the outcome? Alhamdulillah, the entire tempe-making process went smoothly and successfully. The tempe had a more fragrant aroma and a distinct flavour, enriched by the combination of nori and moringa leaves. At the end of the PBL project, students were required to present both the process and the finished product. Through this experience, it is hoped that in the future pupils may be able to develop unique tempe creations with commercial value.