As mentioned in our previous article, you can find so many diversities in Indonesia. Not only about the religions, cultures, and arts, but the people of Indonesia also known for having diversity in the culinary. Yes, we’re talking about the traditional foods here. Most of them have their own special dishes.
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Sometimes, during a special moment like Ramadhan, there are some foods that you can find only during this month. It’s hard to find them outside Ramadhan, because not so many people make it. However, there are also some side dishes and snacks that are made in this month. We collected and put some of them in this list of foods only served during Ramadhan in Indonesia, such as :
1 – Date Fruit / Kurma
Let’s start this list of foods only served during Ramadhan in Indonesia with this familiar fruit in this month called Kurma. Many people in Indonesia would like to call it as Kurma, but on the other countries, it usually identified as Date Fruit, which is the fruit that comes from Palm Trees, which is not that common in Indonesia.
Kurma is actually a Sunnah from Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. He said that eating a Date Fruit or Kurma would be a great way to break the fast. Because in Islam, there’s a saying “Break your fast with something sweet”. Date Fruit has a sweet taste, and it’s actually very beneficial to our health.
2 – Es Campur
In a hot or tropical country like Indonesia, something cold and sweet is really suitable for breaking your fast. No wonder that you can actually find so many types of Es (a dessert made of Ice), like this one called Es Campur for example. Es Campur is one of the many desserts that you can find easily.
Usually, people are selling it with a price starting from five thousand rupiahs. With such an affordable price, getting two or more portions is best. In a portion of Es Campur, you can find some things like fruits, syrup, cendol, and also cincau.
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3 – Cendol
Cendol is also one familiar thing you can easily find in this month of Ramadhan. These small thingies are made of rice flour. That flour then combined with some natural coloring ingredients. Usually, Pandan leaves are used in order to make it looks green and brings good smells also.
Cendol is not only eaten alone. You can find people sell this Cendol with the addition of coconut milk, palm sugar, and ice on top of them. If you want to make it, it’s actually pretty easy to do it. The basic ingredient is really simple, and the making process is not that complex, as long as you know the correct portion.
4 – Kolak
People Indonesia really like to combine things. And thankfully the combinations are always good. Like this thing, for example, a food called Kolak. Even though it’s not actually included as a main dish, but it’s really filling because it has some bananas, cassavas, and even some breads.
One portion of Kolak consists of those bananas, cassavas, and breads, but then added with something else like coconut milk in order to create a sweet taste to the soup. However, you can easily get one of these in some places like Takjil Markets, or even make a portion yourself at home.
5 – Ice Tea / Es Teh
Looks so simple, but we also want to include the Ice Tea. Anyone can make an Ice Tea. Combining water with some tea and add it with some ice to make it. You can even get a free Ice Tea when breaking fast in some mosques. You will get one Takjil and then an Ice Tea as a bonus.
Ice Tea is also considered to be the most affordable drink in many restaurants. If you happen to have a tight budget, ordering one would be really nice. During the breaking fast time, many families in Indonesia would consider making Ice Tea for the drinks. Because it’s really simple, yet really refreshing.
6 – Es Pisang Ijo
The next one in the foods only served during Ramadhan in Indonesia is Es Pisang Ijo. This dessert basically used bananas as its basic ingredients. But, the bananas are not the original ones. Instead, those fruits will be combined with flour, green flour to add texture to them. Wait, green flour?
Yes, that’s why they name it as Es Pisang Ijo, or Green Banana Ice. The green flour is not natural ingredient. But it’s actually a combination between ordinary flour with green color that comes from Pandan leaves. The Green Bananas then combined with other stuff like ice and syrup to make it better.
7 – Kolang-kaling
Do you know what Kolang-kaling is? It’s these white thingies that come from Sugar Palm trees. When harvested, it’s actually really sticky. So if you want to process it, you need to clean it thoroughly. Kolang-kaling is one ingredient to make Es Campur aside from the others. It has solid texture, but really watery inside.
Even though it looks really simple, but it actually has some important benefits for your digesting system.
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8 – Es Blewah / Ice Cantaloupe
Aside from the Ice Tea, Es Blewah or Ice Cantaloupe is also a very common thing to find in this month of Ramadhan. It basically uses one main ingredient, which is the Cantaloupe fruits. During Ramadhan, these fruits are easy to get. Even when you’re wandering around, you can find some vendors sell it at a discounted price.
To make a portion of Es Blewah, all you need to do it to prepare the main ingredient and add it with water, syrup, and also ice.
9 – Cincau
Just like Kolang-kaling, Cincau is also used to make a good Es Campur. Different from it, Cincau has black color, and its shape is square, not round or oval. If you take a look closely, Cincau looks similar to chocolate or coffee jelly. But, it’s not made from both of them. Cincau is made of some leaves.
Yes, leaves. Those leaves then processed later into Cincau. You can consume it directly or adding it with something sweet first.
10 – Porridge
In Indonesia, you can find some types of Porridge or Bubur. You know, when you’re staying somewhere, you may find different kind of porridge that has the unique and different taste you’ve never tasted before. But, the most common one to find during Ramadhan is Bubur Ayam or Chicken Porridge.
It’s really tasteful and delicious, especially when you add it with some spices and use thicker chicken meat.
11 – Kicak
We’re entering the section where we can find some traditional meals of Ramadhan. Let’s start it with this Kicak. You can easily find this traditional food in Yogyakarta. To be specific, it’s a common thing in Kauman area, where the first Kicak was created. Kicak is one of those simple meals to make.
You just need to combine sticky rice or Beras Ketan with some grated coconuts and also add a jack fruit for topping.
12 – Glosor Noodle
The next one in the foods only served during Ramadhan in Indonesia is Glosor Noodle. Even though you can find some iconic types of noodle in Indonesia, this noddle is still really special. Back then, Glosor Noodle is one of those Bogor traditional meals that can be found easily every day.
Now, the Glosor Noodle becomes a thing that you can only find exclusively in the special month of Ramadhan.
13 – Pakat
If you ever visited Sumatra island, make sure you visit it again during Ramadhan, to Medan City in order to try a Pakat. Pakat is traditional “dish” from Tapanuli People. It’s hard to include it as a meal, more like side dish maybe or snack. Pakat is actually a young rattan that burned on a flame for some minutes.
The thing that we eat is the flesh inside the rattan. The people there combined it with another ingredient like coconut milk to make it tastier.
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14 – Bangka Kopyor
For the people who live around Manyar or Gresik in general, this nice and delicious dessert should be very familiar. Bangka Kopyor is another dessert with ice and the basic ingredient, jackfruit. This dessert is easy to find only in Ramadhan because many people are selling it, especially the ones who put their stalls near the beach.
The taste is sweet and really filling because it has the flour, jackfruit, and also bread inside. All of them then combined with Pandan syrup.
15 – Ketan Bintul
The last one in the foods only served during Ramadhan in Indonesia is the traditional meal from Serang, Banten, called Ketan Bintul. This meal uses Ketan or sticky rice as the basic ingredient. It’s easy to get one. After that, the Ketan is later combined with some Abon and then will be eaten together with Gulai and slices of meat.
It’s believed that Ketan Bintul already exists since 15th century ago, and was the favorite of many Kings in Banten, especially Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin.
