13 Favorite Indonesian Foods in the Month of Fasting. Must Try!

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims are required to fast for one full month. Every day from dawn to maghrib. During this month, Muslims are expected to avoid bad thoughts and bad behavior. This time we will discuss about Indonesian food choices for breaking the fast that we can find during Ramadan.

When it comes time to break the fast, Muslims in Indonesia usually consume hot or cold drinks and eat sweet snacks, especially Indonesian specialties to allow the stomach to slowly adjust to food again after fasting for more than 12 hours, and consume sweet drinks to replenish it. energy.

READ ALSO: 11 Most Beautiful Tourist Places in Indonesia. Overseas Lose!

One of the most interesting things about Ramadan in Indonesia is that there are some Indonesian specialties available only during this fasting month. Almost every city in Indonesia has its own takjil (an appetizer for breaking the fast). Let’s take a look at these 7 dishes that are only available during Ramadan in Indonesia:

1. Compote

Compote is a very popular appetizer during Ramadan because of its super sweet taste, and it is highly recommended to raise blood sugar levels after a period of fasting for hours.

Compote is actually a coconut-based drink mixed with palm sugar, vanilla, pandan leaves, and filled with banana slices, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. During the fasting month, you can find Kolak in most traditional food shops in Indonesia. Compote is also usually served free of charge in restaurants during Ramadan.

2. Jongkong – Medan, North Sumatra

Jongkong is one of the most sought-after foods during iftar time in Medan. Its soft texture and sweet taste make many people sell this dish during Ramadan.

READ ALSO: 12 Tips for Hunting Cheap Airline Tickets

Jongkong is made from rice flour mixed with water, then cooked until thick. Pandan leaves are added for aroma and color. Once cooked, let the dough cool and thicken.

When the rice flour dough thickens, it is time for the dough to be put in a banana leaf wrap and filled with coconut and palm sugar. The squat is then wrapped and steamed. Usually, this typical Indonesian food is served warm together with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup.

3. Kicak – Yogyakarta

Kicak is one of the most distinctive foods that you can only find during the month of Ramadan and is a typical Indonesian food from Yogyakarta.

Kicak is made from mashed glutinous rice, mixed with grated coconut and jackfruit slices as a complement. The sweet taste and aroma of jackfruit will whet your appetite, especially when wrapped in banana leaves. You can easily find these snacks in the Kauman area, Yogyakarta.

4. Bingka – Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan

This cake is one of Indonesia’s specialties from South Kalimantan. Usually, the frame is printed in a floral print. Bingka is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar and coconut milk. Sometimes mashed potatoes can also be added to add flavor.

Nowadays, as information becomes more extensive, Bingka appears with various toppings, such as jackfruit, banana, chocolate, cheese and many more. An important fact about this food is that it turns out, it is quite difficult to find for Bingka outside the month of Ramadan.

5. Es Timun Suri – Cirebon, West Java

Es Timun Suri is a phenomenal Ramadan drink as most people mistakenly think that this fruit only grows during the month of Ramadan. This is not entirely true, as the Timun Suri fruit can actually be grown at any time of the year, but farmers usually start planting before Ramadan to meet the annual demand.

READ ALSO: 9 Must-Visit Beaches in Anyer

Timun Suri is shaped like a melon and contains an abundance of juice. This drink is usually served with cocopandan syrup or honey. In some areas, some people mix it with palm sugar syrup or condensed milk with a little lime juice for a fresh taste.

Although originating from Cirebon in West Java, today you can easily find this fruit on sale in almost all parts of Western and Central Indonesia during the fasting month.

6. Pakat – Tapanuli, North Sumatra

Pakat is a traditional dish from Tapanuli. Just like Jongkong, Pakat is a dish that you can only find during the month of Ramadan. This dish is made from young rattan. Rattan is cut 1 meter long and then baked for 1 hour. After the rattan is ripe, they are skinned and the white interior is cut into small sticks. Before serving, the Pakat is sprinkled with serundeng.

7. Bongko Kopyor – Gresik, East Java

This traditional snack which is a typical Indonesian food is one of the culinary heritage of Gresik. Bongko Kopyor is made from wheat flour, banana, coconut flesh, coconut milk, jackfruit and bread.

All these ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves. Not only good, Bongko Kopyor is believed to have the ability to restore energy after a day of fasting. This super sweet tasting food is a special menu that you can only find in the Gresik area during the month of Ramadan.

8. Sotong Pangkong – Pontianak, West Kalimantan

People in West Kalimantan also have their own unique food which “pops up” only during the month of Ramadan. They call it Sotong Pangkong. This food is made from dried cuttlefish roasted over a charcoal fire.

ALSO READ: 19 Most Trending Tourist Attractions in Indonesia This Year

After grilling, the cuttlefish will be ground to make it soft and easy to chew. This savory cuttlefish is usually served with two types of sauces: shrimp sauce and peanut sauce. If you happen to be in Pontianak during Ramadan, this delicious dish can be found along Jalan Merdeka.

9. Es Pisang Ijo – Makassar, South Sulawesi

One of the many special Ramadan drinks is Es Pisang Ijo from Makassar, South Sulawesi. Green Banana. literally means green banana, made from bananas wrapped in flour dough, which has been colored with green lipstick. This drink is usually served with coconut milk, cocopandan syrup and shaved ice to make this drink even more refreshing.

You can also find them easily along Losari Beach in Makassar. For those of you who live in Bandung, you can try Es Pisang Ijo in the Jl. Ternate and Jl. Dipati Measure.

10. Lemang

A typical Indonesian food originating from Tebing Tinggi, a small town two hours’ drive from Medan in North Sumatra, lemang, which is sometimes called lemang Medan, has simple ingredients: sticky rice, coconut milk and salt.

But cooking lemang is not that simple. First, all these ingredients are mixed and then wrapped in banana leaves. This packet is then cooked over a fire in a hollow bamboo stick for 4 to 5 hours. Lemang can be eaten directly or with a side dish of sweet fermented cassava.

READ ALSO: 25 Must-Visit Tourist Attractions in Jakarta

11. Fruit Ice & Cantaloupe Ice

Es Buah is a type of fruit cocktail from Indonesia which is a popular choice for quenching thirst when breaking your fast. These fruit ices can look and taste pretty generic, so some shops will make their own creations mixing a few ingredients together.

Meanwhile, Cantaloupe Ice is an ice drink made from shaved ice and cantaloupe slices, a fruit similar to a melon but with softer flesh. Cantaloupe ice also usually contains coconut shavings, unsweetened red jelly, condensed milk and a little sugar syrup.

12. Chicken compote – Gresik, West Java

You might be surprised when you hear about this kind of dish. Just like other compote, the main ingredients of this dessert are coconut milk and palm sugar. However, unlike other compotes which use banana, cassava or sweet potato, shredded chicken and leeks are added to Chicken Compote.

This combination may sound strange, but Chicken Kolak has become a tradition among people in Gresik. Usually, Chicken Compote is served on the 23rd day of Ramadan in Gumeno, Gresik, West Java.

13. Milk Satay

For Muslims in Bali, Sate Susu is a mandatory food for breaking the fast. This typical Indonesian food from Bali is made from cow udder, which is seasoned with traditional spices and then grilled over charcoal.

READ ALSO: 17 Most Delicious and Unique Balinese Foods To Try

Sate milk is popular not only for its delicious taste but also for its benefits to the human body. That said, this culinary can increase stamina after fasting. To enjoy the taste of the original satay milk, you can stop by Kampung Jawa in Denpasar.