It can be a challenge to find traditional Betawi (Batavian) dishes nowadays. If you have a Batavian restaurant, serving rare Batavian dishes will attract classic culinary connoisseurs from all over. Here are some recipe ideas.
Ase porridge
According to Batavians, ase is a watery stew soup. This ase porridge combines the soft texture of porridge with watery stew soup, as well as tofu, potato and Batavian pickles as toppings to make it tastier.
Babanci vegetables
This rare Batavian vegetable dish consists of thick coconut milk seasoned with shallots, garlic, pecan, chilli, and jali-jali fruit. The taste is very similar to curry, and it is served on top of ketupat slices, then garnished with fresh green coconut.
Gabus pucung
This might be one of the rarest. It’s a gabus fish seasoned with thick, watery sauce made with kluwak nuts, and it is a perfect match for warm rice. It’s believed that gabus pucung is where rawon (beef black soup) originated from.
Sengkulun cake
This cake is the result of Chinese culture influencing Batavia. It looks like keranjang cake (Chinese New Year cake) that’s made of glutinous rice flour and sweetened with brown sugar. Coconut milk is also added to give it that savoury note, and it is a great addition to afternoon tea.
Kembang goyang
These crunchy Batavian snacks are another treat that’s hard to find. They’re made using flour, eggs, and sugar, then fried in a unique way. The dough is put into flower moulds, then deep-fried in hot oil. If you have a modern café, this can also be a unique side dish that’s served with coffee.
