The city of Bandung is famous as an alternative weekend getaway for Jakartan. This city is known as a fashion shopping paradise with its extraordinary culinary variety. The food in Bandung is indeed diverse, from raw ingredients to cooked food, from snacks to heavy meals that may not be found anywhere else. You may actually find some typical Bandung dishes in different cities, but if you want to try a dish with a truly authentic taste, you must come to this capital city of West Java. Prepare some space in your stomach for all these special dishes when you visit the city of Bandung.
- Peuyeum
Peuyeum is Sundanese for tapai yang difermentasi or “fermented cassava” produced from cassava and the yeast. Although many say this food originated from Bandung, Peuyeum is a favorite food, especially for the majority of people in Purwakarta and Subang, West Java. Peuyeum can be eaten along with the following foods: fritter, sponge cake, popsicle, colenak, various fruit desserts such as Es Goyobod or even Es Podeng, and many more. Colenak is a baked peuyeum topped with caramelized brown sugar and coconut oil.
- Oncom
Oncom is also a typical food of West Java which is a fermented mushroom product. The making process is similar to tempeh, but oncom is made after the spores are formed, while the tempeh fermentation process is stopped until the spores are formed. Reddish oncom is made from soybean meal, while dark oncom is made from peanut meal. Usually, oncom is cooked as fritterchips, combro, or pepes (steamed oncom wrapped by banana leaves). Combro is an abbreviation of Oncom Di Jero (oncom inside), where oncom and chili are put into cassava batter and then fried.
- Lalapan and Leunca
It is common that Sundanese people like to eat their meals with raw vegetables, known as lalab or lalapan. It usually consists of raw cabbage, cucumber, tomato, leunca, green leaves such as basil and cassava leaves. Leunca is the name for a sour vegetable fruit that is similar to a cherry. Leunca can be eaten raw or cooked using oncom and spices to make Ulukutek Leunca (ulukutek means stay at home because the recipe happens to be made at home).
- Nasi Timbel
Nasi timbel is white rice wrapped inside banana leaves. The aroma of steamy warm rice touched by banana leaves is very distinctive and flavorful. Nasi timbel is served using grilled chicken, empal or sweet spiced fried beef, salted fish, fried tempeh, fried lettuce, fresh vegetables, and coriander seasoning made from shrimp paste. Also good to be consumed along with Sayur Asem. Nasi timbel is easy to find at street food stalls or at Sundanese restaurants. Recommendation of people’s favorite Nasi Timbel are in Kedai Timbel Dago, Nasi Timbel at Mangga street, Nasi Timbel at Bawean street, also Nasi Timbel Istiqomah Ciliwung street.
- Nasi Bakar
Nasi Bakar is a byproduct of the variant of Nasi Timbel. The way to cook it can be by massaging nasi timbel that has been wrapped or mixing the ingredients of rice and spices until it is wrapped in banana leaves and baked over a gas fire. It is usually served with chicken or fish and chopped coriander leaves and red chilies to add the aroma. The leaf wrapper is inedible. Nasi Bakar is easy to find at street food stalls or at Sundanese restaurants.
- Nasi Tutug Oncom
Nasi Tutug Oncom is just another version of Nasi Bandung. The rice is cooked using oncom along with cikur (Kaempferia galanga, called kencur or ginger lavender) and a little tapioca. The rice is grilled and served with fried chicken, salted fish, fresh vegetables, and wheat spices. Nasi tutug oncom is generally sold in Sundanese restaurants.
- Yamien
When it comes to noodles, Bandung has its distinct style from others. The noodles are thin and white and can be eaten with function separately in the soto sauce. Yamien can be served sweet or salty, depending on the soy sauce that is put in it. The noodles consist of shredded chicken, scallions, lettuce, and chicken claw crackers with dumplings or meatballs. A variation of yamien is yahun, which is bihun (vermicelli) cooked in exactly the same way. Yamien is easily available at street food vendors.
Whether your trips take you to a long stroll on beaches, delicious cuisines, relaxing spas and resorts or urban attractions, extra research will give you the best experience for your visit. Get to know more about Bandung by visiting Wonderful Indonesia.
