Off the Beaten Track: The Underrated Traditional Betawi Cuisine

The website also said the Arab people also introduced various spices such as cumin, cardamom, clove, sesame seeds, and ghee. They have influenced the Betawi people in cooking red onion pickles, soto tangkar (broth, meat and vegetable soup), and nasi kebuli, among others.

And the Europeans, it further added, also brought their influences into the Betawi cuisine. The Portuguese introduced the people here to baking and grilling, while the Dutch taught them slow-cooking or smoor in the Dutch language. The Betawi people pronounced it as semur. That’s how the semur daging and semur jengkol (dogfruit) came about. The Dutch also introduced milk, butter, and cheese, among others.

The areas where the Betawi people live have also influenced their dishes or snack preferences.
According to “Kuliner Betawi: Selaksa Rasa & Cerita” or loosely translated as "Betawi Cuisine: Taste & Story", the Betawi community who live in the coastal zone will mostly cook fish-based dishes, while those who live in the city will eat semur (stew) and make cakes and pastries for snacks. These were influenced by the people who migrated to Jakarta as traders.

For the Betawi people who lived on the outskirts of Jakarta, such as Depok, they created new dishes with the local community.

List of favorite Betawi dishes

Here’s a list of favorite Betawi food in the city. Some may also be registered for online food delivery amid the Covid-19 crisis, as people continue to practice physical distancing measures.

1. Rawa Belong, West Jakarta.
The street peddlers and eateries in the area offer nasi uduk, noodle soup, Betawi soup, and various traditional snacks.

2. Betawi Cultural Heritage in Condet
People can find various goodies such as sweet toffee-like confection, snack fruits, and various traditional cakes.

3. Meruya, West Jakarta
Eateries in the area offer Betawi soup and other authentic Betawi food.

4. Setu Babakan Cultural Village
The Betawi people living in the area offer kerak telor (spicy omelet), laksa (rice noodle served in curry soup), and traditional snacks.

5. Pejaten, Jatipadang and Ragunan in Pasar Minggu
Eaterie here serve Betawi soup, meat stew, noodle soup, and pecak chili.

Source: Kompas.com