A little story of Pekempek Palembang and Pekempek in My Campus

This good chance, I would like to share you about little bit information about Empek-empek Palembang. What does empek-empek Palembang mean? It was name of our traditional food that’s very famous in our country. East to the west, west to the east around Indonesia has known about this traditional food. It made from flour and tapioca that using additional recipe like fish that has mashed that. We will boil it with water. Next time, I will show you how to make it.


Empek-empek comes from one of city in Palembang that is Bari. A small town, which has clean environment. Bari is the famous town because of it was clean, safety, tidy. A lot people feel comfort stayed there.  Many traditional foods that comes from Bari with unique name for everyone namely: Tekwan, Cellor Noodles, Pempek Adaan, PemPek Kapal Selam, and many others.

You know what? The unique name has made a lot people want to have that delicious food. The name of empek-empek comes from a Tionghoa descent that ever leaved in Palembang (Sumatra) that sold empek-empek or pempek who went around using bicycle. The person called “pek…apek” because of the basic dough made from fish that has mashed.

Others story from empek-empek or pekempek. Long time ago there were a king that felt very sad because he didn’t like food that served on the kingdom. And because his majesty he commanded to look for a person who mastered in cooking and making competition of chef. One of his challenges is making food that contains of three tastes which were sweet, salty, sour, hot, and unique appearance. For the winner the king would ask him to be one of chef of his royal. Then it attracted a lot attention many people.  Many people came to follow that competition. Finally the man from who called “apek” had the unique food that had basic dough “cuko” (Palembang name) or other its name vinegar. He was the winner of that competition, so the food called Pekempek from the king.

Here they are many kinds of empek-empek of Palembang:
1. Pek empek Kapal Selam

Kapal Selam

2. Pek empek Adaan

Adaan

3. Pek Empek Dos

Dos

4. Tekwan

Tekwan

5. Celimpungan

Celimpungan

6. Mie celor (Noodles Celor)

Mie celor

Then Next let's compare with Pekempek Biasa (Nothing special on it). This called pekempek biasa because of the dough on it nothing special just using traditional contains, there is no fish in the dough. This Pekempek is very cheap and easy to find it in every where in Indonesia. Usually this pekempek biasa sold by seller on the way the sell it with low price only Rp. 500,- per one. And let's take a look on this picture, I took this picture the different pekempek in Palembang and pekempek biasa. Absolutely it was not too delicious enough. But, it's okay for someone especially for the students, because it is so cheap. :D he he he 

Pekempek Biasa, in my campus ;) he he he so cheap