The northern Javanese coastline that Jakarta calls home was once rich with coconut trees, which has become reflected in traditional Betawi cuisine. For centuries, the Betawi people used what was abundant in their surroundings for nourishment, finding many ways to use but a handful of ingredients in creative and resourceful ways. With simple ingredients like rice and glutinous rice flour, coconut milk and shavings and palm sugar, we find a whole smorgasbord of sweet Betawi delicacies.
Kembang Goyang
Meaning a ‘shaking flower’, the kembang goyang is in an attachment to a traditional hair bun, an accessory that moves and sways, normally worn by Javanese brides. But we find it in cuisine as well, a crunchy snack (also known as kue kembang seroja) shaped like a flower, made from rice flour mixed with eggs, sugar a pinch of salt, coconut milk and sesame seeds. The dough is pressed into the ‘kembang goyang’ mold and deep fried.
Biji Ketapang
Ketapang, or the Indian Almond tree, grows near coastlines and is known for its medicinal uses. Its seeds are said to stimulate breast milk production, its leaves and bark are used for rheumatism to liver ailments and dysentery across different cultures. Now, whilst the Betawi snack is named after the ketapang ‘seed’ (biji), it uses nothig from the plant at all! Made from wheat flour, sugar and grated coconut, mixed together with eggs and margarine, the dough is rolled and cut into small pieces (like seeds), then deep fried until golden brown. They have a sweet and savoury flavour.
Akar Kelapa
Resembling the shape of coconut roots (akar kelapa), this crunchy snack is made from a mixture of rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, eggs and sesame seeds. The dough is piped into long, twisting pieces before being deep-fried. The Betawi culture has a deep affinity with the coconut tree, being able to grow in any season, bear fruit at any time, grow almost anywhere and can be used in many ways. Whilst the akar kelapa snack is not very aesthetic, its taste certainly makes up for it!
Sagon
Yet another coconut-based snack, sagon is a rare find nowadays, but remains a nostalgic treat for anyone who can get their hands on it. Combining glutinous rice flour, grated coconut and sugar gives sagon its distinct chewy-yet-crumbly texture. Made into discs or oblongs, they are sometimes given a hint of salt or pandan. Traditionally, sagon are roasted over charcoal to enhance the coconut aroma, giving it a charred, smokey essence. Another version of the snack is the sagon sembur, which is cooked on a pan or grill. Because of its powdery texture, consumers are advised to keep their mouths shut as they eat, lest they emit a powdery cloud!
Kue Satu
Inherited by the Chinese, the name satu (or ‘one’) refers to the process of making each of these cookies one-by-one using a wooden mold. Kue satu are made using mung bean (kacang hijau) or sticky rice, though the former is more popular. The mung beans are roasted and then pounded to a fine dust, or flour, mixed with rice flour and sugar. This is makes the dough, which is placed into the mold and pressed hard, with a special motif often at the top. These aren’t cooked but are air-dried for two- or three-days, giving them a dry texture that melts in the mouth. The tradition of making kue satu usually carried out by Betawi women before the Eid celebrations.
