Cornelia Tjandra

5 Must-Eat Indonesian Traditional Snacks Back in 2011, the world turns its eyes to Indonesia after one traditional Indonesian dish, Rendang was crowned by CNN and its reader as the best food in the world. The hearty meat dish quickly gained global recognition. Touted as a land full of heritage, one would expect to see more of Indonesia’s cuisine getting the love it deserves. Yet, so many dishes remain unknown despite being delicious and appetizing. Commonly found sold by vendors along the streets of Indonesia, here are 5 underrated Indonesian desserts that you should definitely try when you have the chance. 1. Kue Serabi There are two distinct variations of this sweet dish, Serabi Bandung and Serabi Solo. Serabi Bandung resembles the western pancakes and it is served is a sweet palm sugar sauce with Durian or Jackfruit. It is cooked is a special pan over charcoal, giving it a slight smoky taste. What set Serabi Solo aside from its counterpart are the batter and how it’s cooked. The batter uses more coconut milk and it’s only cooked halfway through. This creates a delicate, creamy center that’s usually topped with chocolate, cheese, or jackfruit. 2. Kue Pepe This chewy delight can easily be bought from market stalls or street vendors.. Made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar, the colorful and yummy dish has a sticky and chewy texture. This snack is popular among the young and old alike 3. Klappertaart Klappertaart is a unique snack as it is heavily influenced by Dutch cuisine. Originating in Manado, this coconut cake was first conceived to copy Dutch desserts with locally available ingredients. The slightly crisp baked top gives a nice contrast of texture to its creamy and sweetly spiced filling. 4. Martabak Terang Bulan Martabak manis, or most commonly known as Martabak Terang Bulan, is another dessert which resembles pancakes. The thick yeasted batter is poured onto a big pan and cooked over charcoal, and then it is topped with various toppings such as chocolate, peanut, cheese, and condensed milk. Some modern versions even make red velvet or charcoal martabak with even more toppings. Easily found sold by street vendors at night, this sweet treat is a favorite midnight snack for Indonesians. 5. Lemper This last one is a savory snack that can also be served as an appetizer. It is made of glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and filled with spiced chicken floss. The dish is wrapped with a banana leaf before getting steamed or grilled, giving the dish a fragrant smell that is unbeatable.