Eat like a Bogorite (4)

Note: Click on photos for my notes

Street food hawkers abound in Bogor. And everyone and anyone eats at these roadside stalls and carts. A common dish is ketoprak, a salty version of the very popular Western Javanese dish called gado-gado, a mixture of vegetables, crackers and rice cake smothered in the signature peanut sauce. And don't forget ... sambal (chili sauce) on the side.

The rice cakes (ketupat) are wrapped in banana leaf, were hanging on the side of the vendor's cart. Getting our order, he opened one and sliced the rice into a bowl. The rice is plain, unsweetened, takeing on the mellow flavor of the banana leaf.

According to Wikipedia, some ingredients that can be in this yummy mess are:

• shredded or chopped green vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, watercress, and bean sprouts (ours had been sprouts and cabbage!);


• other sliced vegetables such as carrots and cucumber (some cucumber);


• peas (not in ours);


• tomatoes (nope);


• tofu (lots, deep fried, I think);


• sliced boiled potatoes (yes!); and


• peeled and sliced boiled eggs (yes, yes!).

The peanut sauce is the clincher. Hawkers either make their own or simply use the commercial stuff. The It has:

• ground fried peanuts with most of the oil drained off (for which some substitute peanut butter and peanut oil);


• garlic;


• coconut sugar/palm sugar (can be substituted for brown sugar);


• red chili sauce, cayenne pepper, or red curry powder (ours was on the side);


• lemon or lime juice.

This was all given a good dousing of fish sauce (some use fish paste) and sweet soy sauce (kecap manis). The taste is sweet in Eastern Java and salty in Western Java.Ketoprak also uses the thin rice noodles called bihun.
(And while I generally try to steer clear of street food because of fears in hygiene issues, I have to admit that the street food is really good! I am assured that my friends here eat at these hawkers regularly, know them pretty well, and well ... my tummy hasn't given out yet!)