Jajan Pasar Galore

Modern snacks become rampant for the past few months or years. To name a few, red velvet martabak or with a variety of flavors and types of toppings such as crunchy chocolate spread – we all know the brand J, biscuits and green tea wafers, become the main posts in several social media and culinary applications. I am a big fan of snacks too. The Martabak ‘kekinian’ certainly did not escape from my  tongue and tummy. However, there are snacks that remind me of my childhood, those are now rarely found in many places including the traditional markets. As a kid, almost every morning, when I saw my mother and our maid back home from the market, I only had a question, "What snack you bring from the market today?"

This memory brings me back, and looking for the traditional market snacks or ‘jajan pasar’, Indonesian culinary heritage that should remain, despite the modern snacks that also carry brands from overseas, widespread quick nowadays.

A few days ago me and my mother to Surabaya. She also took time to visit traditional market. That afternoon, when she came home, I asked the “jajan pasar” again, the question like decades ago. But this time, she only brought few, said fewer types recently. Being curious, or would rather be obsessive, I finally got from one of some online sellers on Instagram, using hashtag #jajanan #tradisional #surabayakue

Alhamdulillah, finally my obsession on old-school snacks that day was perfectly fulfilled. Not only presented in a very attractive appearance and clean, it was very tasty, with the right texture and sweetness.

Arranged in a woven bamboo tray, these foodgasm “jajan pasar” is dominated with Srawut, placed in the middle of other snacks, with cone shape. Srawut is made from grated and steamed cassava, mixed with palm sugar. Surrounding Srawut, dozens of Klepon. These green dough or balls are made from glutinous rice flour and pandan leaf extract, filled with coconut sugar, boiled like meatballs, drained, then rolled in shredded coconut, with sensational taste when bitten as the coconut sugar melt from inside. Lupis also takes part in this tray of heavenly snacks, this glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves cooked the same as rice cake or “lontong”, served with grated coconut and brown sugar. Got Cenil too, this pinky dough is made from starch, with chewy and sweet-savory taste. Jongkong complete the range of this “jajan pasar”. Jongkong, which is also specialty of Surabaya, East Java snack, comes with very unique taste and aroma, as one of the ingredients is edible ash. In addition, I also had a chance to enjoy Kue Kuk or Kue Thok, made from glutinous rice flour, filled with peeled green beans paste. It's also my dad's favorite. Typically, this one appears in red color with tortoise shell shape, given banana leaves as the base; this time in green with pandan flavor.

My nephews – kids, also enjoyed these “jajan pasar”. It was great to see them really enjoy traditional snacks which are actually more organic, plant-based, not only snacks with preservatives and flavorings, that are easily obtained at the nearest franchise. This kind of traditional snacks are supposed to sustain, conserve, as one of the traditional culinary heritage of Indonesia, that our next generation will still enjoy from time to time - not only recognize burgers or French fries of some fast-food restaurants.

#kulinertradisionalnusantara #jajananpasar #jajanantradisional #srawut #cenil #klepon #jongkong #lupis #kuekuk