Have you ever eaten something absolutely delicious but never stopped to wonder why it's called what it's called? Behind the names of the foods we eat every day, there are stories that are sometimes funny, sometimes touching, and always make us appreciate Indonesia's culinary heritage even more. This time, we're going to trace the origins of three dishes that often show up on the dinner table: pempek, empal gentong, and serabi. It turns out these names aren't just labels—they're historical footprints tucked neatly into every bite.
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Pempek: From the Nickname "Apek" to a Palembang Icon
If you ask what food is synonymous with Palembang, the answer is almost certainly pempek (fried fish and tapioca dumplings). But did you know the name "pempek" is said to come from the nickname given to traveling street vendors of Chinese descent who sold this food around the 1600s? Local people used to call these elderly male vendors "apek" or "pek," a familiar term similar to calling someone "uncle" or "grandpa" in Chinese-Indonesian culture.
Because this "apek" would go around selling his fish-and-sago creations from a cart while calling out to customers, people eventually started referring to the food itself as "pempek," taken from how they addressed the seller. Pretty interesting, right? This now world-famous dish actually got its name from the simple habit locals had of greeting a street vendor.
As for the ingredients, pempek was actually a clever solution by the people of old Palembang to the abundance of fish from the Musi River. Rather than let the fish spoil quickly, they mixed it with sago flour to preserve it and make it easy to carry on long boat trips. So beyond its unique name, pempek also carries a story about how riverside communities used their ingenuity to deal with a plentiful catch.
Fun Facts About Pempek
- The tangy, spicy cuko sauce served with pempek was originally made thick and concentrated so it would last longer during long trips by boat.
- Pempek kapal selam ("submarine" pempek), one of the most popular varieties, gets its name because it floats like a submarine when boiled.
- In the old days, pempek was sold by the bite on the roadside, so portions were small and easy to eat on the go.
Empal Gentong: When the Name of a Clay Pot Became the Identity of a Flavor
Moving on to Cirebon, there's a rich, spiced coconut-milk dish called empal gentong. While "empal" is easy to understand as chunks of cooked meat, where does the word "gentong" come from? The answer is simple but charming: this dish used to be cooked and served straight from a large clay pot called a gentong.
The clay pot wasn't chosen at random. Clay is believed to keep the broth tasting richer and smelling more fragrant, thanks to slow, even cooking. On top of that, cooking over a wood fire beneath the clay pot lets the smoke and heat blend perfectly with the spices, creating a distinctive smoky flavor that's hard to replicate with an ordinary metal pot.
To this day, many legendary empal gentong stalls in Cirebon still preserve this traditional cooking method as part of their signature flavor. So if you stop by Cirebon and see a big clay pot steaming in front of a food stall, it's not just for show—it's an essential part of a recipe passed down through generations.
Why Is Empal Gentong So Beloved?
- The thick yellow broth made from coconut milk and turmeric gives a savory flavor that's creamy yet still light on the palate.
- A sprinkle of fried shallots and chives adds a fresh aroma that balances out the richness of the meat.
- It's usually served with rice or lontong (compressed rice cakes), plus sambal and beef-skin crackers as essential accompaniments.
Serabi: A Traditional Cake Named After Its Own Sound and Shape
Serabi, the soft and savory rice-flour cake, has a simpler but still fascinating naming story. Some historians of Indonesian cuisine say the name "serabi" likely comes from an old Sundanese word describing how it's made—namely, batter that is "strained" before being poured into small clay molds called cething or anglo.
The cooking process is unique, too: the batter is poured into small molds, covered, and cooked over low embers until the edges turn crispy while the center stays soft. The "srap srap" sound made when the batter is poured into the hot mold is also believed to be one of the reasons behind the name serabi, though this is more of a folk tale passed down orally from generation to generation in Sundanese land.
In Bandung itself, serabi has long been a staple part of the morning breakfast routine. There are even several legendary serabi shops older than Indonesia's independence, with recipes still preserved just as they were back then, with little to no change.
Varieties of Serabi You Can Try
- Original serabi drizzled with sweet, rich palm sugar syrup (kinca).
- Oncom serabi for those who love a savory, spicy Sundanese flavor.
- Modern serabi topped with cheese, chocolate, or sweetened condensed milk to suit today's taste buds.
Learning from Names, Appreciating the Stories Behind Them
From pempek, born out of a familiar nickname for a street vendor, to empal gentong, faithful to its clay pot, to serabi, whose name is tied to a sound and a traditional cooking method, we come to realize that the names of these foods aren't just labels on a menu. There's history, tradition, and local wisdom stored within them.
So next time you enjoy pempek, empal gentong, or serabi, try pausing for a moment before you dig in. Imagine the long journey that name has taken, passed from mouth to mouth, generation to generation, until it finally landed on your plate today. Go ahead and explore more of Indonesia's culinary treasures with that same sense of curiosity—who knows, your next favorite dish might have just as fascinating a story behind its name.
