Heri Sisworo
West Nusa Tenggara Province (NTB) is a unique place with a lot of interesting aspects. Lombok is known for its beautiful landscapes and beaches. Sumbawa, the other big island in the province, is more ‘raw’ in term of tourism but very rich in culinary. There are several unique Sumbawa Cakes that you need to try when visiting this island.
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As with many other delicious foods from other parts of the country, Sumbawa cakes uses mostly local ingredients. In a way, you can find local wisdom in each of the cakes. Here are some of them.
Bika Jawa Pona
At a glance, Bika Jawa Pona looks a lot like Bika Ambon. However, the similarities stop there. The main ingredient of this cake is yellow pumpkin, giving it the signature yellow color. It is moderately soft, traditionally has a sweet and savory taste. However, you can now find this cake with modern toppings such as cheese.
Manjareal
This small cake can only be found in Sumbawa. Made mostly of peanut, it has a very distinctive shape, almost looks like a cloverleaf. It is shaped and tied in palm leaves, creating beautiful white clovers. The texture is soft but easily crumble. It is really sweet, with a distinct taste of peanut.
Mento
This cake is a bit different than the others on this list. This is the first meaty entry. The main ingredients are flour, eggs, coconut milk, and minced meat. The meat is inserted within the batter and then wrapped in banana leaves. Steaming it will make the cake soft and savory.
Bolu Ber’ai
Simply said, bolu ber’ai is a watery soft cake. Commonly, soft cake is enjoyed as is. However, in Sumbawa, they soak the cake in sugary water. The texture becomes really soft, it will literally melt in your mouth. As you might expect, this cake is really sweet.
Batu Kumung
This is a very simple cake that you can only find during the holy month of Ramadhan and other special occasions. You need to stir the egg until it expands and then adds flour, sugar, salt, and water. You need to shape the batter into a small sphere, and then deep fry it until it becomes brown. Soak the cakes into sugar water until they absorb them all.
Janda Berenang
Literally translated into ‘the swimming widow’, this cake actually has nothing to do with any widow at all. The main ingredients are maize flours and green bean. They also add pink coloring to make the cake more beautiful. It is sweet and somewhat refreshing.
Exploring Sumbawa wouldn’t be complete without enjoying its culinary delights. Sumbawa cakes, for example, are quite varied and all are delicious. You really must try them if you visit this wonderful island. Next
