9 Typical NTB Foods That Are Rarely Known And Must Try

Illustration of typical NTB food that is rarely known and must be tried (Source: Majelisadatsasak.org)

JAKARTA – For those of you who like to taste Indonesian cuisine, of course you know Taliwang chicken as a typical food of East Nusa Tenggara. However, there are still many NTB specialties that must be tried, this list of foods is also rarely known.

Based on the taste, NTB cuisine is unique. Even though they both use the surrounding produce, the method of processing it is also unique. Well, many of the characteristics of West Nusa Tenggara food have a spicy taste. Some of them tasted fresh and full of spices. The typical foods of NTB that you must taste are as follows.

1. Puyung Race Rice

If you like yellow rice for breakfast, quail racing rice can be an alternative for the day's appetizer menu. Quail racing rice is not yellow, white rice. Served warm. Uniquely, in serving a cone-shaped and on top given side dishes that are not small. The side dishes are meat sauce, potato chips, and fried soybeans.

The texture of the side dish is varied, but make no mistake. Lots of texture means rich taste. This food also uses the typical spices of the Sasak tribe.

2. Kelaq Moringa

Illustration of rare NTB food that is rarely known (Twitter/Sasambo Culture)

Moringa leaves are believed to have various health benefits. In NTB, Moringa leaves are often processed into kelaq. Kelaq is a processed dish with soup, while kelaq kelor is a clear vegetable made from Moringa leaves. In appearance, it is quite simple, fresh green in color, sprinkled with onions and shrimp.

3. Kelaq Lebui

Black soybeans are agricultural products of the surrounding community. Soybeans also contain vegetable protein. Generally, this dark colored soybean is processed into a typical food of NTB, namely kelaq lebui. Like kelaq moringa, kelaq lebui is also a soupy dish. In addition to the spicy taste, the characteristics of NTB food are firm with a sour taste. Including kelaq lebui which is black soybeans bathed in sour sauce.

4. Kelaq Sebei

Still with a typical food with a soup, kelaq sebei made from tuna fish enriched with long beans and eggplant. Similar to vegetable lodeh, kelaq sebei also has a spicy, sour, and savory taste.

5. Kelaq Batih

The difference with the previous kelaq, kelaq batih is made from young cassava leaves and old chickpeas. Even more unique, this fresh food is seasoned with beleq yeast. Beleq yeast is a mixture of coriander, galangal, ginger, onion, garlic, cloves, shrimp paste, salt and pepper. You could say with a complete composition that you can buy seasonings at a typical NTB gift shop.

6. Poteng Jaje Tujak

Illustration of typical NTB food that must be tried (Instagram/Buburinas)

Citing the website of the NTB Provincial Tourism Office, poteng jaje tujak is a sweet-tasting tape-type food. Usually, this snack is served during Eid. The name is taken from the Sasak language, jaje meaning 'snack' and tujak meaning 'pounded'. While poteng is a term for food like tape.

7. Palopo Porridge

In the Sumbawa language, palopo porridge is a sweet food made with buffalo milk. Buffalo milk replaces coconut milk, so it is more savory. The main ingredients of this porridge are brown sugar and yellow eggplant boiled water.

8. Eggplant Duck

Do you like spicy, fresh, sour food mixed into one? This means that it is mandatory to taste the eggplant duck which is suitable as a side dish for Taliwang chicken. The fresh and sour taste of coarsely grown tomatoes. The vegetable ingredients are eggplant, which is cut into squares and chopped long beans.

9. Rarit

This NTB special food that is rarely known, is made from beef. After processing and seasoning with spices, the meat is slightly dried. After that it is chopped and served. This culinary, which is similar to empal, is known as the typical food of Sumbawa.

Those are 9 NTB specialties that must be tried but are rarely known. From the list above, which one do you like the most?