When Sotong Pangkong-Lemang Is Only Present In The Month Of Ramadan

Ramadan specialties in Pontianak, one of which is Sotong Pangkong. (Photo ANTARA/Septian)

PONTIANAK - When the culinary delights of Sotong Pangkong and Lemang are only present and much in demand and sought after by the public during the month of Ramadan in Pontianak City, West Kalimantan.

Both of these culinary delights are Pontianak specialties that have one thing in common, namely that they are crowded and only available during the month of Ramadan.

People are enthusiastic about buying these two culinary delights before breaking the fast and after breaking the fast, not only from Muslims but also from non-Muslims who look for them during the month of Ramadan.

Like Iwan, a lemang maker who has been making and selling lemang for 30 years in Pontianak.

"I have been making this lemang for 30 years, and I feel that the buyers are crowded only during the month of Ramadan, this lemang is indeed very suitable as a meal to break the fast," said Iwan as quoted by Antara, Sunday, April 24.

According to him, what makes it festive during the fasting month is because many people are enthusiastic and it is like a tradition in Pontianak during Ramadan and the buyers are not only Muslims but also many non-Muslims who buy this lemang.

One of the reasons this lemang is liked by the public is because it has a savory taste and the coconut fat is very pronounced, making it suitable as an iftar dish or menu.

The raw materials used to make this lemang are quite simple, namely preparing bamboo, young banana leaves, glutinous rice or pulut, coconut milk, and spices such as salt, onions, and others.

The processing method is to provide cleaned bamboo, then put young banana leaves in the bamboo, then add glutinous rice or pulut then add coconut milk and spices, then burn for about four hours.

"What makes Lemang in Pontianak different from other lemangs is that it tastes more savory because it uses good quality coconut milk and of course, the bamboo used is special bamboo, namely Lemang bamboo which has long segments," he said.

On weekdays, you only spend about 30 kilograms of glutinous rice or glutinous rice per day, but during Ramadan you can spend up to 150 kilograms of glutinous rice per day.

Especially for the month of Ramadan 2022, the turnover that can be obtained can reach IDR 40 million in a month with a selling price of IDR 25 thousand per stick which is sold to the winners and then sold again to the public.

Sotong Pangkong

Ari, a Sotong Pangkong seller in Pontianak, feels the same way, the Sotong Pangkong culinary also has a lot of fans during the month of Ramadan.

"Sotong Pangkong is like a local community tradition during the month of Ramadan, it can also be enjoyed while hanging out and relaxing with family or friends," he said.

Usually, buyers start to get busy enjoying this snack after Muslims finish Tarawih prayers until the evening. The fans are not only from the people of Pontianak City, but also from outside the city and from various groups ranging from children, teenagers, to the elderly. seasonings: starting from salt, sugar, flavoring, chili, and ebi prawns.

As for the processing method, the dried squid is burned, then after being cooked it is beaten with a hammer so that the tough squid becomes soft and savory when eaten, and added with mixed chili sauce.

"On weekdays the two stalls he owns can spend four kilograms of dried cuttlefish per day and on weekends it can reach seven kilograms with selling prices varying from IDR 15,000 per head to IDR 50,000 per head," he said.

So that the turnover he gets on weekdays is the highest it can reach IDR 3 million per night and for Sunday nights it can reach up to IDR 7 million for the two stalls.

Seasonal Culinary Lovi, a resident, and connoisseur of Pontianak specialties, admitted that she always enjoys Pontianak specialties such as Sotong Pangkong and lemang during Ramadan every year because these two culinary delights are only easy to find during Ramadan.

"I like Sotong Pangkong because of its savory taste and can eat it while enjoying the atmosphere of the night during Ramadan in Pontianak City, while I often use lemang as takjil to break the fast," he said.

According to him, the atmosphere of the month of Ramadan that makes Sotong Pangkong and Lemang culinary delights is of great interest to many people because it can arouse the appetite of those who are fasting.

West Kalimantan Culture Enthusiast Syafaruddin Usman said that the Sotong Pangkong and Lemang culinary delights are Pontianak specialties because they are served with the Pontianak Malay culture called Saprahan or which means spread out, namely the culture of eating together by sitting cross-legged on the floor in groups.

"Both of these culinary delights during the month of Ramadan are crowded because this is an annual trend and can be called seasonal culinary," he said.

With the presence of these two culinary delights, they can become an intermediary medium while enjoying the evening atmosphere, chatting with family, and becoming an economical public space in the present.

Culinary Sotong Pangkong and lemang is expected to continue to be preserved not only from the side of the crowd, but must be developed in terms of economic factors, can be used as income and known or used as souvenirs to other areas as a culinary specialty of Pontianak.