During your visit to South Sumatra, trying the province's traditional dishes is a must-do experience. For those of you who are currently not in the region, don’t worry since these Indonesian traditional foods are also sold in other areas.
Traditional South Sumatran cuisine is diverse and full of delicious flavors. Discover the recommended traditional South Sumatra dishes you should try in the article below!
Recommendations of Traditional South Sumatra Dishes You Should Try
Ranging from pempek Palembang, burgo, to kue 8 jam, here are several recommendations of traditional South Sumatra dishes you should try:
1. Pempek
As one of the most popular dishes in Indonesia, you probably are already familiar with pempek. Pempek is a traditional South Sumatra dish made of sago and fish, prepared with flavorful cuko broth.
This traditional South Sumatran dish is believed to have originated during the Sriwijaya Kingdom era, between the 7th and 14th centuries. Before becoming the popular dish it is today, pempek was reportedly used as provisions for soldiers of the Sriwijaya Kingdom.
Pempek’s recipe is relatively simple, since you only need several main ingredients, such as Spanish mackerel, tapioca flour, and eggs, as well as duck eggs. To prepare it, you can either fry or boil the pempek.
2. Tekwan
Tekwan is one of the popular traditional South Sumatra dishes.
Tekwan originates from Palembang. This dish is a soup made of Spanish mackerel batter formed into balls, mixed with clear shrimp broth.
Tekwan is served alongside green bean noodles, wood ear mushrooms, and crispy fried garlic and shallots, offering additional textures in every spoonful. Although it may seem simple, it is a comforting dish that can be enjoyed anytime.
This dish is an example of Chinese and Palembang’s acculturation dish, which is adjusted with the locals' preferences. Tekwan is made with several ingredients, including egg whites, cassava flour, and wheat flour.
For more flavor, tekwan is typically served while it’s hot, added by chili slices or lime. These fish balls taste juicy with flavorful broth.
3. Laksan
Laksan is a traditional South Sumatran dish made of fish and originally from Palembang. The name "laksan" is believed to be associated with Chinese cultural influence in Palembang.
To make laksan, a broth consisting of water, coconut milk, shrimp stock, garlic, and curly red chilies is prepared. These combinations make laksan savory, flavorful, and a bit spicy.
To make it tastier, don’t forget to serve laksan while it’s still fresh and warm. When it gets cold, you can warm up the coconut milk broth for a few minutes before putting it in the laksan bowl.
4. Burgo
Similar to pempek and tekwan, burgo is also a traditional South Sumatra dish that comes from Palembang. This dish is made of rice flour batter which is cooked and sliced, served with savory coconut milk.
Burgo has appeared since 200 years ago, especially during the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate. During that time, rice from Java started to arrive in Palembang and was cooked into burgo (rice porridge) locals enjoy nowadays.
Burgo is cooked by boiling rice flour and other ingredients before rolling the batter into thin sheets similar to Indonesian crepes. Don’t forget to make burgo broth made of coconut milk, common snakehead, and other spices.
To serve burgo, slice it into thin pieces, and serve them on a plate neatly. Have the broth poured onto it and add boiled eggs and onion and garlic crisps for more flavors.
5. Mi Celor
Mi celor is a traditional South Sumatra dish which comes from Palembang, wknown for its rich and savory coconut-based broth. Mi celor is served alongside shrimp, bean sprouts, boiled eggs, and green onion. Mi celor offers an appetizing taste.
Mi celor is unique, since it uses thick and chewy noodles. This dish is suitable for those who love strong flavors and spices of the broth.
It’s unknown whether mi celor has Chinese dishes influence in it. You need evaporated milk and coconut milk to make the thick broth, which is similar to spaghetti.
Serve the noodles into a bowl and have the thick broth and topping ready to pour into it. The toppings include bean sprouts, garlic and onion crisps, and shrimp.
6. Tempoyak
Tempoyak is a fermented durian from Palembang
Tempoyak is a traditional fermented durian dish popular in Palembang, Lampung, and Jambi. It tastes sweet, sour, and slightly spicy, making it a perfect complement to various dishes.
Not all people like durian. However, tempoyak offers a unique culinary taste for people who like to try out new experiences. This fermented durian has become an important part of this region and shows its culinary richness.
This dish has existed since 1836 and was loved by many people, including locals and kings. Tempoyak is made by fermenting durian based on the types of the tempoyak desired, whether it be sour or sweet.
Due to its unique taste, tempoyak can be cooked and combined with various dishes. Some make tempoyak as sambal, brengkes, or pindang or eat it as a side dish to rice.
7. Pindang Patin
Palembang’s culinary heritage is known for its spicy and sour broth, including pindang patin. This dish tastes fresh and appetizing due to its traditional spices, such as Javanese tamarind, turmeric, and lemongrass.
This dish reflects the river-based lifestyle of local communities that rely heavily on freshwater fish. For longer preservation of silver catfish with a unique taste, the pindang spice is modified further to make pindang patin.
Silver catfish is known for its soft texture, rich with nutrients, which makes pindang patin as a healthy dish. This menu is made by marinating the fish with lime juice.
Pindang patin is typically served with accompaniments, such as warm white rice and sambal terasi. In addition, it is better that pindang patin is served while it’s hot.
8. Lempok
Lempok is a traditional delicacy from South Sumatra and Kalimantan, made from durian and cooked into a dense confection similar to dodol. Unlike dodol, lempok contains no flour, giving it a richer durian flavor and firmer texture.
This dish is cooked to make durian last longer during excess durian harvest season. This is typically served when you are relaxed or served in various special occasions or souvenirs.
Lempok requires more time to cook, since it needs to be always stirred to reach the right texture. Nevertheless, the end result is satisfactory, which tourists often buy as a souvenir.
9. Model
Model is a Palembang traditional dish similar to tekwan, only that it has a larger size and more substantial fillings. Typically, model is filled with eggs and served with savory shrimp broth, the same as tekwan.
This dish has existed since the 16th century during the Palembang Sultanate and is believed to have originally been known as "kelesan." Model was first introduced by Palembang natives and sold by Chinese sellers.
Model is made of fish or beef wrapped in banana leaves, which is later steamed or roasted. It is a light dish, but it still makes you full with its savory and fresh taste, which you must try.
10. Lenggang
Lenggang is a traditional Palembang dish made from a mixture of pempek and eggs.
The next traditional South Sumatra dish khas Sumatera Selatan is lenggang. This dish combines pempek and eggs, which is roasted to result in a soft and savory texture.
Lenggang’s origin is not separated from pempek, which came from the Sriwijaya Kingdom times. This pempek variation was introduced from the 20th century when a seller made a variation of pempek into lenggang.
Lenggang is served with cuko, a special Palembang broth with sour and spicy taste to balance it. Aside from being roasted, lenggang can also be served by frying it for different tastes.
Lenggang is often eaten as a light snack during the afternoon. With its serving variations, lenggang can be enjoyed with other spices and sauces for more taste.
11. Kemplang
Kemplang is chips made of fish, originating from Palembang, South Sumatra. This dish is made as locals try to make use of their fish, especially Spanish mackerel.
Kemplang is made through a simple process, but with high precision. You can eat it directly or serve it alongside warm rice or other dishes.
12. Celimpungan
During your visit to Palembang, try to eat celimpungan, which is made of fillings similar to tekwan, together with yellow coconut milk broth, rich with spices. It is typically served with garlic and onion crisps or sambal.
“Celimpungan” originates from the “plung” sound when the cook pours the batter into the boiling broth. Aside from the tasty broth, this local dish is also made of the mix of mashed fish and sago flour, as well as other ingredients.
13. Kopi Musi
If you are looking for a local beverage with a unique taste, you can try Kopi Musi, a traditional South Sumatran coffee drink. It is commonly served as kopi tubruk or kopi tarik.
14. Kue Maksuba
Maksuba cake, or kue maksuba is a traditional Palembang dish similar to lapis legit. However, kue maksuba has an irregular shape with a unique pattern.
This snack has become Palembang people’s favorite dish since the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate. Interestingly, this dish was originally made of gendok (traditional container made of clay) which was roasted by using wood.
Unique ingredients are needed to make this cake, such as duck eggs. This dish is typically served in various special occasions, such as during eid, wedding, or engagement.
15. Godo-Godo
Godo-godo is a healthy food from Palembang made of Spanish mackerel. It originated as a way for locals to make use of excess fish by mixing it with sago flour and frying it. They mixed the fish with sago flour and fry them.
Godo-godo is made by creating batter consisting of Spanish mackerel, sago flour, eggs, salt, and other ingredients. Meanwhile, for the broth, people usually use mushroom stock, powdered broth, and salt.
It’s advised not to stir too much when cooking this dish to avoid an excessively thin texture. Aside from serving godo-godo, ensure to store it in a cool and dry place to maintain its quality.
16. Kue 8 Jam
Kue 8 jam or 8 hours cake is a Palembang traditional dish which needs 8 hours of cooking. This is made of wheat flour, and was originally consumed by only nobles.
This cake was relatively difficult to make since it is complicated with long hours of cooking. Palembang people typically cook this dish during special moments, such as during Eid.
17. Pindang Tulang
Similar to silver catfish, cooking it as a pindang is one of the ways to cook beef ribs in Palembang. This dish is also known as pindang tulang, which is a tasty combination of sour and spicy.
This food was originally a way to make use of remaining beef ribs, since the meat was already cooked into another dish. Pindang tulang is typically served with sweet soy sauce for a more savory taste.
18. Malbi
If pindang tulang is made of beef ribs, then malbi is a traditional Palembang dish made with beef fillings. This dish is a result of acculturation between India, Arab, and Malay culture.
This dish is cooked with coconut milk, which can be replaced with water with other Indonesian spices. Malbi is served on a daily menu or during special occasions, such as weddings.
19. Telok Ukan
Telok ukan is an annual dish found during Indonesian independence day in South Sumatra. Interestingly, this term originates from the term “telur” or eggs, which was initially often told by people outside Palembang.
It consists of duck eggs cooked inside emptied eggshells and filled with a mixture of egg, coconut milk, suji leaves, salt, and seasoning before being boiled or steamed.
20. Kue Gandus
This last South Sumatra traditional dish, especially Palembang, is typically served as a side dish during weddings, traditional ceremonies, or other occasions.
Kue gandus, or gandus cake, also originates from the Malay word “gandus” which means thick. This is the same as this cake’s texture, which is sticky and chewy since it’s made of rice flour and thick coconut milk cooked until they are chewy.
This concludes the recommendations of traditional South Sumatra dishes you should try during your visit. Have you found a dish you are interested in trying yet?
Indeed, drinking mineral water after your culinary venture session must not be skipped to stay hydrated. Always have AQUA 600 ml ready to prevent thirst during your local culinary adventure!
