Pecel Semanggi, Surabaya Traditional Food

Surabaya offers many local dish to enjoy by culinary lovers. Start from Rujak Cingur, Tahu Tek, Rawon a.k.a Black soup to the Lontong Balap (Lontong race). Some of them offer not only taste, but also nostalgic and history about Surabaya and its culture, for example is Lontong Balap which in earlier day had been sold by running from Wonocolo to Wonokromo, thus the name Lontong Balap was given. But between those list of must wanted dish there is one important food which must to try, it is a Pecel Semanggi.

this is Pecel Semanggi

Pecel Semanggi is not different from other Pecel from Indonesian. It consisted from vegetables poured with peanut sauce. The look of this dish is not interesting. It barely called a dish, more like a snack. The portion is not big like other dish in Surabaya. But for Surabaya people, the taste of Pecel Semanggi is very typical of Surabaya. There is no other town that can perfectly made Pecel Semanggi like Surabaya do. It has become trademark of Surabaya, even Surabaya people who lives in different cities considers this dish is a homesick drug from their hometown.

semanggi plant

Those taste came from Semanggi as its main ingredients. Semanggi belongs to the group of Salviniales. It is also served alongside Mung bean sprouts and Turi Flowers, and poured with sweet and spicy peanut sauce mixed with Cassava. Sometimes it is also served with boiled Cassava leaf and Fried Tempe. Semanggi traditionally always served on top of Banana leaf, called Pincuk, without spoon or fork or rice or Lontong, just Semanggi. If it does not come with spoon or fork so how do you eat it? It does come with Kerupuk Puli, a broad crisp made from rice flour. It substituted spoon, so you eat it using Kerupuk Puli as the spoon.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult nowadays to find Pecel Semanggi merchant. The merchant always walk around the town, never settled on the same spot. Some people even consider it is lucky to meet and find Semanggi merchant. But even that, Semanggi is still a very popular food in Surabaya, composer S. Padimini even create a song about this dish. Another reason why Semanggi is so hard to find is it is very difficult nowadays to find Semanggi plant itself, all the field to plant Semanggi now change to real estate or office. Some place that still has Semanggi is in Kendung village, in Benowo. Kendung village even called "Semanggi Village" because their people job is selling Semanggi.

4 Famous Satay from Indonesian

Commonly sold in Indonesia, Sate or Satay is a dish made from piece of meat, chopped small, skewered, and grilled. Satay is very popular in Indonesian, almost every region has its own version of their satay and Satay also sold in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore or other South East Asian Nation. Some area in Netherlands also has satay, those satay comes from Indonesian as result Netherlands colonialism in Indonesian.

Sate is originally made from cow, chicken, or goat meat. Those 3 are the most common meat that used for Satay. But in modern day satay can be made from many kinds of meat, for example is Pork, rabbit, horse, or buffalo. Basically every meat can be used for making satay, if you brave enough. Sometimes you can find Satay made from snake, lizard, or bulus (a kind of turtle). You can find some different when you are buying satay from other region in Indonesian. What distinguished other Satay from another is the sauce or the cut. For example the Madura satay has small cut while Ponorogo satay has big, continuous cut skewered or Padang satay which has yellow sauce instead peanut sauce. I have listed 4 famous satay from Indonesian below, here is the list:

1. Madura Satay

Madura Satay is easily recognized from its cut and its sauce. It is made from chicken, goat, or beef meat. Usually served with Lontong rice or just rice. The one made from chicken is served with soy sauce, peanut, garlic, and shallot, grounded until they become paste. The others however served only with soy sauce and shallot. Most people like it to be spicy, so it is common if you find the vendor adding so much chili in its sauces. Madura Satay is the most common satay sold in Indonesian.

2. Padang Satay

Padang satay is originated from west Sumatra. This satay is made from cow meat or intestine. Before grilled, the meat is boiled twice in spiced water. After that the broth is used to make the sauce, resulting in yellowish appearance. Like other padang cuisine, Padang satay is spicy. Commonly sold in Padang restaurant around Indonesia. This dish will satisfy your appetite, but beware with your stomach because it so spicy.

3. Ponorogo Satay

Ponorogo satay comes from Ponorogo, a town in east java. Commonly made from chicken meat, what differentiated it from the rest is the cut. If Madura satay has small, 3 piece of meat skewered and grilled, Ponorogo satay has one long piece of meat, skewered and grilled. It is also spiced before grilled, while Madura satay is not. After it is grilled, the merchant add another spice before add the sauce. Outside Ponorogo, it is difficult to find other merchants sell this satay.

4. Satay Lilit

Satay lilit is satay which comes from Bali island. This satay usually made from pork, or fish and mixed with grated coconut, thick coconut milk, shallot, garlic, and lemon juice. Lilit mean 'to wrap around'. The skewer is flat and wide, unlike the other satay which has narrow and sharp skewer. In Bali almost all satay lilit is made from pork, because Bali people is hindu and eating cow or beef is not their way. But in another region, beef meat or chicken meat is used because other majority of Indonesian are Islam

Ampel, Middle East of Surabaya

ampel in a potrait

Last night i went to Ampel, a place in Surabaya which resemblance middle east a lot. I went there to look some of middle east cuisine. Ampel is a sub - district located in Semampir district in Surabaya city. Ampel has a long way story for become a part middle east in Surabaya. If you go take a walk around the location you will see many people with Arabian Heritage, because the majority of its inhabitants are those people .

The story of Ampel began around 15th century. The name Ampel is derived from Sunan Ampel, a man from Campa. There is controversy about where Campa is. Encyclopedia Van Nederlandesh Indie noted that Campa is located in Modern Cambodia while Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles noted that Campa is derived from Jeumpa which is Aceh word thus make it from modern Aceh. Which one is true we do not know.

Sunan Ampel is on mission to spread Islam in Java. He was given a small portion of Majapahit Land in North Surabaya, and he made it a center for his campaign. He built a first Islamic boarding school in there, called Ampeldenta and Ampel Mosque. And the place was called Ampeldenta. Many Islam Theologian attended Ampeldenta and later they are widespread around Java to spread Islam to Java people. The example is Sunan Drajat and Sunan Giri. Sometimes after he built Demak Kingdom, the first Islamic Kingdom in Java he died and was buried here in Ampel.

In modern days, Ampel has become middle east center in Surabaya. Many Arab people set their home here. If you walk around you can easily find Arab cuisine like Maryam bread or Roasted goat. It also become Islam Religion Center in Surabaya. Many people visit Sunan Ampel grave every year. It also has a market around the mosque which sells many middle east things, such as perfume, date fruit, or clothes.

Many of its cuisine still using Original recipe like in the middle east, so you can have authentic taste. The typical Middle east cuisine which full of spice will satisfy your appetite. Although the food is a little bit expensive, it still has many costumers. The most favorite food to serve is Roasted Goat or Baked Goat, and Maryam Bread. Sometimes you will also find Kebab.

Besides Maryam Bread you will find rice. Like many other places in Asia, Arab cuisine sometimes also using rice to fill their stomach. But it has some distinct different among other places, In middle east the rice was added with spices. It will taste spicy but delicious. The famous one is Kebuli rice and Briani Rice. The market also sold various variety of date fruit. From Tunisia to California dates they are ready to sold. If you looking for Middle east clothes you can easily find it here, i think it was imported directly from Middle East.

If you visit Surabaya, do not forget to visit Ampel. Buy the food, feel the atmosphere of Middle east in Surabaya. But you must be careful though, because Ampel is crowded places you must keep your things safe around you. Although Ampel is religious place, it still has pickpocket. Do not forget to travel safe. Good luck exploring the world.