Discover the deliciousness of various East Javanese specialties, which offer savory and spicy flavors with a touch of distinctive spices.
East Java is not only rich in culture, but also has a culinary wealth that is worth tasting. The taste of typical dishes from this province is known for its strong touch of spices such as shrimp paste and petis, providing a distinctive blend of savory, spicy, and sour flavors.
For culinary lovers, tasting typical East Javanese dishes is an unforgettable experience. Here are 10 Typical East Javanese Foods that you must try when visiting this area.
1. Rawon
Rawon is an iconic dish from East Java which is famous for its distinctive black sauce. This black color comes from kluwak, an ingredient that gives the soup its distinctive taste and aroma.
Rawon usually contains pieces of beef cooked with spices such as shallots, garlic, coriander, lemongrass, and galangal. The savory taste of rawon sauce combined with rice, short bean sprouts, crackers, and chili sauce, creates a dish that is rich in flavor and satisfying.
2. Rujak Cingur
fresh fruit and vegetable slices with cingur (sliced cow’s mouth) that has been boiled until tender. This rujak is drizzled with peanut sauce mixed with petis, giving it a savory, spicy, and sweet taste that blends perfectly.
The chewy cingur, combined with fresh fruits such as cucumber, jicama, pineapple, and kedondong, creates an interesting blend of textures.
3. Lontong Balap
Lontong balap is a typical dish from Surabaya consisting of lontong, bean sprouts, fried tofu, and lentho (fried tolo beans). The fresh clear broth combined with chili sauce and sweet soy sauce gives a distinctive taste to this dish.
Lontong balap is usually eaten with crackers and additional fried onions, giving a perfect savory touch. The name “lontong balap” is said to come from the tradition of sellers running fast when selling this food in the past.
4. Clover Salad
Pecel Semanggi is a dish that uses clover leaves as its main ingredient. These leaves are then combined with bean sprouts and kale, doused with pecel sauce made from a mixture of chili, starfruit, lemongrass, and brown sugar.
Semanggi pecel is usually served with uli crackers, providing a combination of sweet, spicy, and fresh flavors. This dish is often found in the area around Surabaya.
5. Rice cake with coconut milk
Kupang is a type of small clam that is the main ingredient in lontong kupang, a typical dish of Sidoarjo and its surroundings. Lontong kupang consists of lontong served with petis sauce, clam satay, and lento.
The savory and slightly sour taste of kupang combined with the thick petis sauce creates a unique and delicious taste. This dish is often enjoyed with the addition of lime juice for added freshness.
6. Tahu Tek
Tahu Tek is a typical food of Surabaya and Lamongan consisting of fried tofu, French fries, rice cake, bean sprouts, and cucumber. This dish is doused with peanut sauce that gives a savory, spicy, and sweet taste.
The name “tek” comes from the sound when the seller cuts the tofu and rice cake using a knife, creating a “tek-tek” sound. This dish is often served with prawn crackers, making it even more delicious.
7. Pecel Rice
Pecel Rice is one of the most popular culinary specialties of East Java. Originating from Madiun, pecel rice consists of white rice served with boiled vegetables such as long beans, spinach, and bean sprouts, drizzled with pecel sauce.
Pecel sauce is made from peanuts, brown sugar, and spices, giving it the right amount of sweet and spicy flavor. Pecel rice is usually served with fried tempeh, tofu, and peanut crackers as a complement.
8. Malang Meatballs
Bakso Malang is a typical Malang soup dish that offers a variety of fillings such as beef meatballs, siomay, dumplings, tofu, and noodles. The savory sauce comes from beef stock rich in spices.
Each bowl of Malang meatballs is served with accompaniments such as fried onions, chili sauce, and celery, creating a truly mouth-watering taste. This dish is very popular throughout Indonesia because of the deliciousness and satiety it offers.
9. Mixed Tofu
Tahu Campur is a typical Lamongan dish consisting of fried tofu pieces, beef, tendons, cassava cakes, bean sprouts, and watercress. A savory beef broth is poured over these ingredients, creating a fresh and savory soup dish.
Petis, a typical East Javanese spice, is also added to give a unique touch of flavor. Mixed tofu is often enjoyed with lontong or rice, with additional chili sauce for those who like it spicy.
10. Javanese Fried Rice
Fried rice is a popular dish throughout Indonesia, but Javanese fried rice has its own unique flavor. This fried rice is cooked with spices such as shallots, garlic, candlenuts, and chilies, as well as sweet soy sauce that adds to its deliciousness.
Each region in East Java has its own variation of fried rice, from Semarang tripe fried rice to village fried rice from Yogyakarta, all of which are delicious and worth trying. Conclusion East Java is one of the culinary heavens in Indonesia that offers a variety of foods with strong and distinctive flavors.
From rawon to Javanese fried rice, each dish of Typical Surabaya Food presents its own uniqueness and deliciousness. If you visit East Java, be sure to taste the deliciousness of these 10 specialties for an unforgettable culinary experience.
