#pempek

There is a specific kind of magic in the air of South Sumatra, and most of the time, it smells like spicy vinegar and toasted coconut. 🥟🥢

South Sumatra isn’t just a destination; it’s a sensory overload. It’s the sound of street vendors clanking woks, the golden hour light hitting the Musi River, and the legendary flavors that have been perfected over centuries. If food is your love language, this is where you come to find your soulmate.

The Culinary mood board:

Pempek (The Icon): It’s more than just a fishcake. It’s that satisfying crunch of the skin, the chewy center, and the Cuko—a dark, brooding sauce that hits every note of sour, spicy, and sweet all at once. 🌊

Martabak HAR: This isn’t the street food you know. Founded by Haji Abdul Rozak (hence the HAR), this is a crispy, egg-filled savory parcel served with a rich, thick potato curry that feels like a warm hug for your stomach. 🥚🍛

Mie Celor: Imagine thick noodles swimming in a heavy, creamy broth made from coconut milk and dried shrimp (ebis). It’s the ultimate comfort food for a rainy afternoon in Palembang. 🍜✨

Mie Aloi: A local secret. It’s that perfectly springy noodle texture topped with savory meats that defines the "hidden gem" experience.

A Cultural Deep Dive: South Sumatran food is a beautiful intersection of Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences. Every dish tells a story of the ancient trade routes that once passed through the Srivijaya Empire. To eat here is to taste history.

📺 Get lost in the full cinematic food documentary here: https://www.mymovietv.com/watch/video/342

Stay hungry, stay curious. 🌙🌌

this was for artfight but ill share it here too!

TAKE-ONE x Pempek

day 3; frustration area

og image under cut

pempek

This is one of my fave cuisine/snacks from Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia😋 In Palembang language, it's called "Pempek" (Palembang fishcake) with the thin sauce "cuko" or also known as spicy vinegar sauce.

It's a traditional dish, yes and it's originally made by a Chinese immigrant. It means, this cuisine isn't 100% made by the locals. I honestly feel a little bit disappointed because I hope this one comes from native Indonesians.

As a native Indonesian myself, I'd be proud if I can consume original products from my homeland especially food.

Let's be real, who isn't? Because most products are sometimes imported. If you think I'm being discriminative or something, that's your problem.

Imagine like this. If you're a Japanese, you must be more proud of consumming those items produced by your own folks than the ones from overseas, right? Let's just be honest.

Anyway, I'm not a native of that region (Palembang) and so are my entire families. This food is actually for sale, but my parents allow me to have these ones (a separated product).

Also, I'm not the one who made the whole batter. My mother did it (but I do have a plan to study the process). I was simply frying and preparing them myself 🍽

Reference: