Indonesian (Exotic) Food

Fiuh..after post about travelling and finance in this blog.. Now, I'll introduce you some of Indonesian food

Ready??

1. Babi Panggang (grilled pork) at Bangka
It's quite interesting to know that pork is served in many different ways in Indonesia. Example, "babi guling" Bali is served like turkey. They put the blended spice inside the meat, then they grilled it. In Manado, they have "Babi Rica". They stir the spice first in oil, then add the meat and lemon. In Indonesia, they usually use "asam" instead of lemon, etc. (asam jawa-asam meants sour-its sour yet sweet-this also called as a herb. This is one of important ingredients in Indonesian Food)

"Babi panggang" (grilled pork) Bangka is also different from other province in Sumatra. When the pork is still raw, they put it in tea water for a day, so the fat of the pork can pulled out to the water. It'll better if you use herbal tea. After the meat is 85% fat-free, they cover the meat with the spice. Remember, don't cut the meat to tiny part. We need the skin too! After all the meat is covered with paste, grilled it. I don't really know the details, but when it's served.. This grilled pork has awesome taste. the upper part (skin) is so crunchy !! (Much more crunchy-10 times- than "babi guling" Bali. Middle part is the pork meat which is so yummy and soft. Then the bottom part there're mix of paste and meat, and "jeruk limau" (jeruk limau-tiny little orange-3cms diameter-with its tiny size, the sour taste has the same value with an lemon!). So it's soft, sour, and sweet. They don't add chilli or something spicy. So, for you who can't eat something spicy, don't worry :)

2. Garang Asem(Asam) from Central Java
By read the name, you'll know that "asam" is the main ingredients in this food. You need to boiled tomatoes, big green and red chillis, a slice of banana leave, "lengkuas"(Alpinia Galanga/Lenguas Galanga-is a herb in ginger family usually used in Indonesia and Thai cooking. The robust rhizome has a sharp, sweet taste and has smells like a blend of black pepper and pine needles), shallots, garlic, "salam" leaves (Salam-also called as "Indian/Indonesia-bay leaf" only known as Indonesia and Malay cooking. The "Indian" name is given because a long ago, Indonesia was called "Holland-Indian". As main components, eugenol, methylchavicol and citral have been identified. The yield of essential oil was best when the leaves have been withered and dried for a few days), and "belimbing wuluh" (Averrhoa Bilimbi-known as Bilimbi, Indonesia use this as ingredients in cooking. It tastes very sour. Bilimbi fruit contains many nutritions, such as protein, fiber, ash, iron, phosporus, calcium, etc. It can be served as healthy beverages. The leaves can be used as medicined for cough, cold, and other veneral disseases). After it boiled, add coconut milk, salt, chicken, and brown sugar. Cook it for 1,5 hours if you want sharp aroma . If you don't really want it, just wait until the chicken is well cooked. If you have steamer, instead of boil the ingredients one by one, you can steam them all together for 45-60 minutes !! (Thx to Evan for his advices :D)

Because the ingredients contains so many herb, "Garang Asem" is healthy food to serve. But maybe it will be difficult to find those herbs outside South East Asia. Some Indonesia cooking book suggest common bay leaf instead of Indonesia bay-leaf. But I don't think it has much similarity between that two spices.

3. Cap Chai (still confuse about where this come from)
"Cap" is Hokkian languages which means "mix"
"Chai" is also Hokkian languages which means "vegetables"

So, basically, Cap chai is kind of food that consists many vegetables. Though "Cap Chai" is chinese (Hokkian) languages, but this food is one of Indonesia ethnic food. I don't know where is the exact place this "Cap Chai" created, but my opinion is North Sumatra, Indonesia. I said that because as far as I know, most Chinese people in Medan speak Hokkian.

My Dad, who was born in Riau, Sumatra, said that this Cap Chai (Indonesian call it Cap Jay) is definitely not from Riau. He said Medan-North Sumatra maybe the place where this food came from since so many Chinese-Hokkian food was found in Medan. D.I Aceh (above North Sumatra) is impossible too since almost the citizen is moslem and not speak Chinese. I found that not many Chinese live in Jambi. So, I skip Jambi. About West Sumatra... The Capital of West Sumatra is Padang, right? Padang is famous because of Padang Cuisine which is hot and spicy. Okay, maybe we can skip West Sumatra again. Why? Because Cap Chai is sweet and not spicy! About Palembang... I only know that most of Palembang ethnic food has sour taste and little bit spicy. Skip! Lampung? Hmm... I read that its ethnic food is similar with Palembang. How about Java? It maybe possible. I've heard about Cap Chai a la Semarang (Semarang is located in Central Java), but my grandma refuse that Cap Chai is from Semarang.

I still confuse about where this Cap Chai come from.... If you guys know about it, leave your comments please :D It's always nice to know other's opinions.. :D

Note : Cap Chai is not made from vegetables only. People can add everything that they like, such as chicken, sausages, mushroom, tempura, etc. Hmm.. this food remembered me of pizza.. The truth is, pizza was made by add anything on bread, right? I think...."add-anything" concept in Pizza is similar with this Cap Chai