DON’T MISS THESE 5 MUST-TRY STREET FOODS IN BANDUNG
Dubbed as Paris Van Java, Bandung comes with a captivating array of attractions from culture to nature that deserves a visit. Not only is the capital of West Java eminent for its redoubtable paradise for leisure but it’s also renowned for its best food destination – and one of the highlights you can’t skip out is its lip-smacking street food. The street foods in Bandung literally bring color and vibrancy enhancing your Indonesian culinary experience.
Siomay Bandung
Who can’t deny the authentic delicacy of Siomay Bandung? This worth-tasting street food available in the street-side food stalls across the corner of Bandung is a type of fusion highlighting Chinese and Indonesian style. It is a typical fish dumpling cooked by way of the steaming process. It is frequently served with the spicy reddish-brown peanut sauce. Arguably, this kind of dish shares similarity with dim sum. Siomay is accompanied by supporting steamed complements such as the boiled egg, rolled cabbage, tofu, bitter gourd, and to mention the potatoes.
The basic ingredients of Siomay Bandung include the diced chicken meat, chopped prawn, grounded fish, tapioca flour, egg, and dumpling skin. The seasonings of it are nothing but simple covering shallot, garlic, pepper, salt, and fish sauce. What about the peanut sauce? It turns out that it can’t be apart from these following things – roasted peanut, red chilies, and sweet soya sauce. For the final touch, it perfectly goes with the refreshing lime.
Seblak
Seblak is the brand-new dish recently invented since a few years ago. Favored by numerous elements of people from teenager to adult; this popular street food gains wide popularity not only in Bandung but also in Indonesia. The reason it serves the focus of attention is the elevated spiciness on it. What makes seblak distinctive is nothing else but the use of soaked raw cracker – normally, this side dish is fried and becomes the best crunchy companion for porridge.
Aside from the raw cracker, seblak contains a couple of ingredients mostly protein-based such as egg, sausage, meatball, and prawn. The starchy stuff like the noodle and macaroni pasta is also added. The basic seasonings, being the core of this bright, red dish, are chilies (for sure), shallot, garlic, pepper, salt, and kencur herb. Before simmering the key ingredient, the spices are ground first. There are two types of seblak – the dry and wet version.
Mie Kocok
One of the highly recommended street foods in Bandung you must go for a try is mie kocok. The noodle-based dish is made by applying a blanching and stirring technique. The method is slightly different compared to another noodle serving. The daintiness of it appears to be out of ordinary due to the presence of beef broth and kikil (the part of cow’s leg). Taking a mere 5-minute cooking process, this lovely cuisine is proven to be easy to make.
Besides the noodle and kikil, mie kocok makes use of bean sprout. What makes this sort pleasant and melt-in-your-mouth is the role of the spices including nutmeg, shallot, garlic, and dried tiny shrimp. In the end, it is beautifully served with fried shallot, chopped celery and spring onion, and lime juice. If you want it sweeter, you might add the sweet soya sauce or if you love something spicier, be sure to get a spoon of sambal.
Colenak Bandung
Colenak standing for “dicocol enak” is a sort of sweet dessert made of tape singkong – this one is the steamed cassava that has been fermented. It is served with deliciously sweet sauce comprising brown sugar liquid as well as the grated coconut. To make the basis, you must grill the fermented cassava on the greasy sauce pan. The margarine is another essential addition to enrich the flavor – so, smear your pan with it. Once the color turns into the browner one, it is time to put the colenak on your plate and douse it with the sauce.
Cireng
The starchy option when it comes to replacing the rice to fill in your starving stomach could be nice with this guy – cireng. This phenomenal coin-shaped dish is frequently presented on the food display both in a classy eatery and kaki lima (the Indonesian mobile food-cart). It is usually served with a variety of sauces from the peanut variety to tomato ketchup. The steps to create this favored snack are relatively easy. The locals simply mix the starch, tapioca flour, garlic, and chopped celery with the warm water. After the dough is completely shaped, it is deep fried in the sizzling cooking oil.
To make a long story short, street foods in Bandung are found to be exceptional. The meals becoming the residents’ favorite incredibly vary in form, taste, and look. Missing one out of them, while exploring Bandung, is such a big mistake.