In search of the Kerak Telor or the Batavian omelet :)
This post is slightly longish one. Though the title mentions about an omelet, i just write it in a flow, so it documents my perspective of looking at this country, people and events. If interested, do follow the links to know more about the jakarta fair. The omelet is called "Batavian" as Jakarta used t be called "Batavia" some time in the past.
All images and text are copyright of the author. Use only with attribution. Would be better if a written permission from the author is sought before use of any content.
On the day we came to Jakarta, on the twelve lane road to my apartment, along the side, we spotted a few vendors, seemingly selling eggs. Me and my husband discussed that this probably another way of selling eggs in this country. Coming from India, i was also surprised by the colourful eggs, they had the dull green ones and the golden brown ones. We would see them daily, but only after sunset. We thought maybe it would be too hot in the day to sit there and sell anything. Still i was surprised about why they would sell only eggs, when no other items would be sold along the sides of that particular road.
Then about a week later, we visited the Jakarta fair. The Jakarta fair is a month long trade fair that happens every year between about mid June to mid July. It is a huge affair, with close to 3 million people visiting the fair. The Jakarta Fair could actually be a separate topic to write on. To cut the long story short, after we walked and walked and walked in the fair till our legs almost broke, we took the exit close to the food stalls.
Before I move ahead, let me tell you that "Food" is a topic which needs to be discussed, experienced and seen at length (and volume) here in Jakarta. Food stalls constitute at least 25% of any establishment, be it a mall, a fair, an exhibition, a program, whatever. These guys are big food lovers! We (me and my husband) are food lovers too, but being vegetarians, you can imagine our state in this country. We could simply watch in awe, not being able to taste anything!
So back to my Jakarta Fair story. Close to the exit, we saw those "egg-sellers" again! Then we also saw a small wok and a fireplace with them. That is when we realised that these are probably selling egg preparations. As we do with all food stalls, we moved head just as we do from other stalls, with a feeling of detachment. (Few cynical minds may also use the words "sour grapes" feeling to describe it!). The surprise came when just outside the jakarta fair door, lined up about 100-200 vendors, sitting almost 1 or 2 feet from each other, neatly lining meters and meters of road! Later on I was to learn that these vendors had a very close association to the Jakarta Fair, and that what they sold has the same relation to "Betawi" as a मिसळ has to Kolhapur! We could read these words on a board kept near one of the vendors -> "kerak telor". A quick Google translate on the handphone gave the result "Egg crust" (See how I have started using the word "handphone" instead of cell phone? OMG i am already getting converted!).
Fast forward 7 days : We visit a friend for dinner. This one is an "eggetarian", just like us. (Eggetarian is a wierd term, I heard it first from a colleague. These are people who are otherwise vegetarian, but eat egg also.). Now this friend happened to be very enthusiastic about observing all the things around this country, willing to experiment and try out stuff within his own dietary limitations. He mentioned eating an egg dish at Jakarta fair, which was crusty and which had rice and onion! Flash! Can you almost see that "bulb" on top of my head? We asked him immediately if it was kerak telor, and he confirmed. The description he gave was enough for me to start my quest for it. Okay, i keep the actual recipe details to the end, the information neede to take the story ahead is that it also contains shrimp. Now that friend had an English speaking indonesian with him, so he managed to convey that he wanted the crust without shrimp. And he was the one who informed us that the vendors are in such volumes only during the jakarta fair.
After that day, we were trying to see if we can catch an English speaking Indonesia, who understood that shrimp was not suitable for "eggeterians" and who could come with us to have kerak telor. As it so happened, routines for office goers and school goers had already set in at full speed, so time was an issue. Then the Jakarta fair got over. I felt sad sad sad...i thought now I can try this only next year!
Fast forward 15 days, and there was this International Motor Show at the same place where the Jakarta fair was. My son being a huge fan of cars, it was mandatory for us to go to a motor show. And while we were exiting, lo behold! there they were! The kerak telor vendors, in decent numbers. Not as much as Jakarta Fair, but respectable numbers. By this time, my internet research had given me the info that shrimp is the only ingredient in that which is "non-veg". And by this time, our own skill with the local language had definitely progresses somewhat. So exactly in the Indian style, we positioned our car near one of the vendors, got down from the car and asked him to parcel one for us.
As I still recollect the heavenly taste, you people can enjoy the pictures and reading a short description.
Kerak Telor can be made of duck eggs or hen eggs. we chose the normal eggs. The person puts a tablespoonful of soaked glutinous rice in a wok to cook for a while. Then opens the lid, puts salt and some spice powder, some fried coconut and breaks an egg into it.
He mixes is well, spreads it evenly and lets it cook
After cooking, he turns the wok upside down, and exposes the omlette directly to the charcoal pit, to let it roast slightly from the other side
Now, absent minded as I am, I forgot to take the picture of the finished product :(. But a simple google search should give you many finished product pics.
So to conclude the recipe, he transfers the omelet on the serving plate, tops it with fried onion and fried coconut. Umm....heaven, isn't it?
Links for Kerak Telor
Wiki
An article by Yovita Siswati
The Jakarta Globe article
All images and text are copyright of the author. Use only with attribution. Would be better if a written permission from the author is sought before use of any content.
On the day we came to Jakarta, on the twelve lane road to my apartment, along the side, we spotted a few vendors, seemingly selling eggs. Me and my husband discussed that this probably another way of selling eggs in this country. Coming from India, i was also surprised by the colourful eggs, they had the dull green ones and the golden brown ones. We would see them daily, but only after sunset. We thought maybe it would be too hot in the day to sit there and sell anything. Still i was surprised about why they would sell only eggs, when no other items would be sold along the sides of that particular road.
Then about a week later, we visited the Jakarta fair. The Jakarta fair is a month long trade fair that happens every year between about mid June to mid July. It is a huge affair, with close to 3 million people visiting the fair. The Jakarta Fair could actually be a separate topic to write on. To cut the long story short, after we walked and walked and walked in the fair till our legs almost broke, we took the exit close to the food stalls.
Before I move ahead, let me tell you that "Food" is a topic which needs to be discussed, experienced and seen at length (and volume) here in Jakarta. Food stalls constitute at least 25% of any establishment, be it a mall, a fair, an exhibition, a program, whatever. These guys are big food lovers! We (me and my husband) are food lovers too, but being vegetarians, you can imagine our state in this country. We could simply watch in awe, not being able to taste anything!
So back to my Jakarta Fair story. Close to the exit, we saw those "egg-sellers" again! Then we also saw a small wok and a fireplace with them. That is when we realised that these are probably selling egg preparations. As we do with all food stalls, we moved head just as we do from other stalls, with a feeling of detachment. (Few cynical minds may also use the words "sour grapes" feeling to describe it!). The surprise came when just outside the jakarta fair door, lined up about 100-200 vendors, sitting almost 1 or 2 feet from each other, neatly lining meters and meters of road! Later on I was to learn that these vendors had a very close association to the Jakarta Fair, and that what they sold has the same relation to "Betawi" as a मिसळ has to Kolhapur! We could read these words on a board kept near one of the vendors -> "kerak telor". A quick Google translate on the handphone gave the result "Egg crust" (See how I have started using the word "handphone" instead of cell phone? OMG i am already getting converted!).
Fast forward 7 days : We visit a friend for dinner. This one is an "eggetarian", just like us. (Eggetarian is a wierd term, I heard it first from a colleague. These are people who are otherwise vegetarian, but eat egg also.). Now this friend happened to be very enthusiastic about observing all the things around this country, willing to experiment and try out stuff within his own dietary limitations. He mentioned eating an egg dish at Jakarta fair, which was crusty and which had rice and onion! Flash! Can you almost see that "bulb" on top of my head? We asked him immediately if it was kerak telor, and he confirmed. The description he gave was enough for me to start my quest for it. Okay, i keep the actual recipe details to the end, the information neede to take the story ahead is that it also contains shrimp. Now that friend had an English speaking indonesian with him, so he managed to convey that he wanted the crust without shrimp. And he was the one who informed us that the vendors are in such volumes only during the jakarta fair.
After that day, we were trying to see if we can catch an English speaking Indonesia, who understood that shrimp was not suitable for "eggeterians" and who could come with us to have kerak telor. As it so happened, routines for office goers and school goers had already set in at full speed, so time was an issue. Then the Jakarta fair got over. I felt sad sad sad...i thought now I can try this only next year!
Fast forward 15 days, and there was this International Motor Show at the same place where the Jakarta fair was. My son being a huge fan of cars, it was mandatory for us to go to a motor show. And while we were exiting, lo behold! there they were! The kerak telor vendors, in decent numbers. Not as much as Jakarta Fair, but respectable numbers. By this time, my internet research had given me the info that shrimp is the only ingredient in that which is "non-veg". And by this time, our own skill with the local language had definitely progresses somewhat. So exactly in the Indian style, we positioned our car near one of the vendors, got down from the car and asked him to parcel one for us.
As I still recollect the heavenly taste, you people can enjoy the pictures and reading a short description.
Kerak Telor can be made of duck eggs or hen eggs. we chose the normal eggs. The person puts a tablespoonful of soaked glutinous rice in a wok to cook for a while. Then opens the lid, puts salt and some spice powder, some fried coconut and breaks an egg into it.
He mixes is well, spreads it evenly and lets it cook
After cooking, he turns the wok upside down, and exposes the omlette directly to the charcoal pit, to let it roast slightly from the other side
Now, absent minded as I am, I forgot to take the picture of the finished product :(. But a simple google search should give you many finished product pics.
So to conclude the recipe, he transfers the omelet on the serving plate, tops it with fried onion and fried coconut. Umm....heaven, isn't it?
Links for Kerak Telor
Wiki
An article by Yovita Siswati
The Jakarta Globe article
After seeing photographs By Rarindra Prakarsa ,Jakarta is one of the place on my list of places to visit. I do not know when . Waiting for more photographs
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