Batagor

Batagor (abbreviated from Bakso Tahu Goreng, Sundanese and Indonesian: "fried bakso [and] tofu") is a Sundanese dish from Indonesia, and popular in Southeast Asia, consisting of fried fish dumplings, usually served with peanut sauce.[1] It is traditionally made from minced tenggiri (wahoo) fish meat, although other types of seafood such as tuna, mackerel, and prawn may also be used. The fish paste is subsequently stuffed into wonton skins or filled into tofu, and then deep fried in palm oil.[1]

Batagor
Batagor, as served in an upper class hotel.
CourseSnack
Place of originIndonesia
Region or stateWest Java, and Nationwide
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsFried fish dumpling with tofu and vegetables in peanut sauce
VariationsSiomay, shumai

Street-side batagor fried dumplings are usually served with fried tofu and finger-shaped fried otak-otak fish cakes. These batagor components are cut into bite-size pieces and topped with peanut sauce, Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), sambal (chili paste), and lime juice. As a fried food, batagor generally have a crispy and crunchy texture;[2] since the serving method is identical, batagor and siomay are often sold by the same vendor, with batagor being offered as a crispy variation of siomay.[3]

History and origin

The street vendor is deep frying batagor in cart during car free day in Jakarta.

Batagor is ubiquitous in Indonesian cities, and can be found in street-side food stalls, travelling carts, bicycle vendors, and restaurants. However, it is most strongly associated with the West Javan city of Bandung.[4] The dish is influenced by Chinese Indonesian cuisine,[4] and might be derived from siomay, with the main difference being that batagor is fried instead of steamed. It has been readily adapted into local Sundanese cuisine, and today, most batagor sellers are Sundanese.

Batagor began appearing in various Indonesian cities throughout the country in the 1980s, and is believed to have been invented in 1968 in Bandung.[5] According to legend, batagor was created as a way to salvage unsold bakso meatballs. It is said that one day the bakso did not sell well, and a seller was stuck with too many leftovers. In order to cut his losses, he then came up with the idea to grind the meatballs, stuff them into tofu, deep fry them, and serve them with peanut sauce in a fashion similar to siomay. This created a new dish of bakso tahu goreng ("fried bakso [and] tofu"), abbreviated as "batagor".[5][6]

Varieties

Batagor kuah, which is similar to bakso Malang

Batagor is traditionally served with peanut sauce, although in Bandung, most batagor sellers also offer a variant served in clear broth, batagor kuah ("batagor soup").[7] The soup can be made by boiling chicken broth and adding various ingredients such as pepper, sugar, salt, leek, and celery. Chili sauce, tomato sauce, and lime can also be added to bring more flavor into the soup.[8]

Batagor is popular for its savory flavor, crispy texture of its deep fried wonton skin and tofu, and its sweet and savoury peanut sauce. The typical price of batagor is fairly affordable, with a plate of modest street-side batagor costing around 10,000 Indonesian rupiah, less than one US dollar, as of 2018.[9]

See also

References

  1. Nasution, Pepy (31 December 2010). "Batagor | Indonesia Eats | Authentic Online Indonesian Food Recipes". indonesiaeats.com. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  2. Media, Kompas Cyber. "Batagor, Si Lezat dari Bandung - Kompas.com". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  3. Mustinda, Lusiana. "Batagor dan Siomay, Jajanan Murah a la Kaki Lima". detikfood (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  4. "Berkunjung ke Bandung? Jangan Lupa Cicipi Lima Batagor Paling Enak dan Terkenal di Sini - Tribun Jabar". Tribun Jabar (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  5. "Batagor H. Isan, Segera Menjajah Jakarta | SWA.co.id". SWA.co.id (in Indonesian). 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  6. Antoko. "Batagor Jajanan Khas Bandung". Sarihusada.co.id. SARIHUSADA. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  7. Post, The Jakarta. "Five dishes to try in Bandung on a rainy day". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  8. Hawaaya, Dedah Farryn. "Resep Cara Membuat Batagor Kuah Sedap". Resepsedapku. Resepsedapku. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  9. "BATAGOR JAJANAN KHAS KOTA BANDUNG, JAWA BARAT". negerikuindonesia. Negeriku Indonesia. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
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