Rengginang
Hello friends of Javanology, have you ever heard of this particular culinary from Indonesia. Its name is Rengginang, a type of thick cracker made from glutinous rice which is shaped round and dried by drying in the sun, then hot frying in cooking oil. Slightly different from other types of crackers which are generally made from a mixture of mashed ingredients such as tapioca flour or crushed melinjo seeds, Rengginang is not crushed so that the shape of the sticky rice grains is still visible. This food is a traditional culinary that has existed for decades in Java. In the past, rengginang was often found as mandatory consumption at celebration events. There is no literature that records since when rengginang was made. Some say that at first rengginang was made from glutinous tape. After feeling good, rengginang is finally made as a separate food and is no longer made from leftover ingredients.
Rengginang also uses black glutinous rice. Rengginang must use glutinous rice instead of ordinary rice, if using leftover rice that is dried, it is usually called peek. In Central Java, it is known as peek goreng, which is rice crust or leftover cooking that is attached to a cork then dried and fried. The difference between peek goreng and rengginang is only in their size. Peek is bigger than rangginang because it is made from the bottom of a cork or rice cooker pot. In some places in West Java, a snack similar to rengginang is also known, but with the basic ingredients of cassava or cassava, which is called rengginang. In East Java, apart from rengginang terasi, a well-known variant is rengginang lorjuk, where there is lorjuk in the middle of the rengginang. Lorjuk is a type of clam that elongates about two to three inches and resembles a knife. Not all beaches have lorjuk, but in Pamekasan, Madura, this type of shell is easy to find because the type of beach is flat and sloping.
Previously, the main ingredient for making Rengginang was glutinous rice or rice, friends, there must also be complementary ingredients to make Rengginang food, generally made with added seasoning or salty sweetener, usually with shrimp paste, some use kencur, while the sweet ones are seasoned with sugar. Kawung or brown sugar, Rengginang can be fried without seasoning or taste, salty or sweet. There is a type of rengginang that is flavored with shrimp, shrimp paste, or scallops. In a modern era like this, rengginang food which is generally available at celebration events is now growing and developing with the hands of creative young people who make this rengginang with various variants of today’s flavors. With the help of the internet and cellphone cameras, you can now increase the selling value of this Rengginang throughout Indonesia. How can Javanology friends be interested in making it yourself or just buy it online? Thank you, see you at the next Javanology culinary.
Writer :
Azhar Kamal
