Pecel

Pecel (, Javanese:ꦥꦼꦕꦼꦭ꧀) is a traditional Javanese salad with peanut sauce, usually eaten with carbs ( steamed rice, '' lontong'' or '' ketupat'').Pecel Recipe (Java Style Salad with Peanut Sambal)
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The simplicity of pecel preparation and its cheap price have contributed to its popularity throughout Java. It has become a food that represents practicality, simplicity, and travel, since the dish is often found along the train journey across Java.

Pecel was introduced to Malaysia, where it is known as pecal, by Javanese immigrants. Pecel is also very popular in Suriname, where it was introduced by the Javanese Surinamese.

History

In Babad Tanah Jawi (circa 17th century), Ki Gede Pemanahan referred to the dish he presented to his guest, Sunan Kalijaga as "''pecel''-ized boiled vegetables". In Javanese language, "''pecel''" used to refer to the act of squeezing the water out of something.

Sunan Kalijaga was not familiar with the dish as he came from northeastern part of Central Java, while the dish was native to Yogyakarta. This dish became one of the most popular Javanese dishes soon after it was introduced to other regions of Java, and the word ''pecel'' took its current meaning, "a side dish that is made of vegetables and sauce".

''Pecel'' is only one of many Javanese vegetable-based salads. It is similar to '' lothek'', except that ''lothek'' is usually served with fried batter or tofu and uses both raw and cooked vegetables.

Ingredients

Main ingredients usually consist of leafy vegetables, bean sprouts (or any other plant sprouts), long beans, and cabbages. Some other types of vegetables can also be added. People may use amaranth leaves, '' kangkung'', cassava leaves, or leaves or any other local plants that are in season. Some modern recipes will add carrots (sliced) into the mix, or replace white cabbages with the red ones to spice up the color.

The sauce is made of roasted (or fried) peanut, asam jawa, coconut sugar, and other spices. It might be served thick or watery, sweet or spicy, depending on the regional variation.

''Pecel'' is usually eaten with rice or rice cake ('' lontong'' or '' kupat''). It can also be eaten alone or with fried side dishes, such as, fried ''tempeh'', ''tofu'', etc.; and Javanese crackers, such as ''krupuk'' or ''rempeyek''.

Variants

The difference usually lies on the thickness level of the sauce, the taste profiles (spicy, sweet, or savory). In Central Java, ''pecel'' sauce is sweet-savory with medium thickness, except in northern coast and north-eastern regions where the sauce tends to be more spicy and the sauce is usually a bit thinner than usual. In East Java, especially Madiun, the peanut sauce is very thin and spicy. ''Lamtoro'' seeds are often added as a topping.

In Tegal, Central Java, ''pecel'' sauce is made of peanut and cassava root. In Surakarta's ''pecel ndeso'', black sesame sauce is used on top of peanut sauce.

In Yogyakarta, pecel is served with ''bacem'' (sweet-simmered) tempeh or ''tofu''. In Surakarta, a pecel variant called ''lothek'' (alt. spelling: '' lotek'') includes the use of some raw vegetables, lontong, and ''gorengan''. The name "''lothek''" is derived from "''luthik''", a wooden spatula used to scoop the peanut sauce from a ''cowek'' (grinding bowl).

''Mie pecel'' or ''pecel mie'', a noodle with ''pecel'' sauce is common in Central Java as well as Medan. One of them is ''pecel mie kenyol'' from Batang, the noodle made from cassava with a chewy texture.

Gallery

File:Nasi Pecel Khas Madiun.jpg, ''Pecel'' Madiun with '' rempeyek'' cracker
File:Nasi Pecel Daun Jati.jpg, ''Pecel'' with fritter, ''sate puyuh'' (quail egg satay), ''sate keong'' (freshwater snail satay), and ''sate usus'' (chicken intestine satay) on a teak leaf in Tuban
File:MIE PECEL.jpg, ''Mie pecel'' with ''badak'' (veggies fritter) in Semarang

See also

* Karedok
* Tipat cantok
* Ketoprak
* Lawar
* List of salads
* Pecel lele
* Urap

References

{{Malaysian cuisine

Malaysian cuisine
Javanese cuisine
Sauces
Vegetarian dishes of Indonesia
Vegetable dishes of Indonesia
Street food in Indonesia