Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Batagor & Siomay

This is one of my favorite street food called Batagor Siomay. It's original a dish from Bandung (the capital city of West Java). Some people will consider it as a real meal for lunch but for some other people, it might be just a snack during late afternoon.

tukang batagor

The cart of Batagor & Siomay

Batagor being fried in hot oil.

Goreng batagor


The ingredients to make Batagor and Siomay are the same which are Spanish/spotted mackerel fish, tapioca flour, egg, spring onions, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper. In another word, it's the same ingredients as to make fish cake but the composition is a bit different because Batagor Siomay has much softer texture.

The difference between Batagor and siomay: Batagor is being fried and Siomay is being steamed.

I like Batagor for its crunchiness and Siomay for soft, tender and chewiness texture (and of course, not forgetting to mention about the less calories *wink*).

The dressing is peanut sauce with red chili and kaffir lime juice. It's always so nice to smell the wonderful fragrance from the kaffir lime. The final touch to serve the Batagor Siomay is sweet soy sauce on the top of the peanut sauce and chili sauce at the side.

Siomay
(steamed fish cake, tofu with fish cake filling, cabbage with fish cake filling, potato)

Batagor
(fried fish cake, wonton with fish cake filling, tofu with fish cake filling)

Fried Wonton


Take - out

Batagor on the plate.

It might not look really appetizing for some people, but seriously, don't let the look deceive you coz' it's so yummy! You just need to give it a try ;)

71 comments:

  1. Given a chance i would like to try the Botago for it's crispiness.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah, I agree - must try it to believe it... I love siomay! (And our version of it: siew mai)

    ReplyDelete
  3. foodbin: The batagor is a great choice ;)

    LFB: Hehehe.. true, gotta try it! Siew mai is made from pork, rite?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would love to try either of them. These are foods we just don't have here in Oregon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. mary: I wish I have a good recipe to make batagor siomay that I can share to you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. this is like the Indonesian version of dim sum. and it has an interesting dressing as well. i'll wanna try this if i visit Indonesia! :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. Is siomay siew mai? A little confused coz it doesn't really look like siew mai... Nevertheless it looks delicious, but don't think it's enough to feed me as a real meal. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. nic: Hehehe... I didn't realize it until you mentioned it :) Come.. come... visit Indonesia!

    sugar bean: Siomay is actually the Indonesian version of siew mai :) Definitely need 2 plates!!! Hehehe...

    ReplyDelete
  9. botago looks good....is it available in most part of Indonesia?

    ReplyDelete
  10. simple girl: Uhmmm... I'm not so sure whether you can find Batagor in Sumatra or Bali or other provices but I believe it's easy to find it around Java especially in West Java :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Looks great! Mmm. The peanut sauce sounds so yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  12. its like a mix between "yong tau fu" and dim sum & malay rojak!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I learn so much on your culture. I've never heard of Batagor & Siomay but would eat this. I love to try new food from different countries. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is my fav food, so delish with peanut sauce..
    huhuhu..drooling~ can't stand to eat this.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Even the fried wontons looks great!I'd definitely eat this, but it looks like more than just a late afternoon snack!

    ReplyDelete
  16. the ungourmet: Yes, love the peanut sauce with kaffir lime juice :)

    TNG: Hahaha.... is it? :D

    helene: I'm glad to share the Indonesian local food :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. nath: Hi Nath, thanks for stopping by my blog :) Hope to see you around.

    monica h: The wonton skin is very cripy, you'll love it ;)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Makes a very good snack for...hope get the chance to try it.

    ReplyDelete
  19. ck lam: Hopefully, you will visit Indonesia someday ;)

    ReplyDelete
  20. My favourite food in Malaysia, very healthy.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love the crunchy little goodies with the exotic sounding names. I would give both a try and probably like each one in their own way.
    I learn so much about your food and culture each time I visit. I always look forward to what you'll do next.
    Sam

    ReplyDelete
  22. The fried and steamed versions look awesome to me!

    ReplyDelete
  23. worldwindows: Wow! There’s batagor in Malaysia? Do people eat siew mai with peanut sauce in Malaysia?

    Lesley: Give it a try and I believe you’ll like it ;)

    MCK: Sam, you words really encourage me to show more of the Indonesian local food, thanks :)

    mica: Hehehe… and yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Siomay? hahaha ... sounds like Siew Mai, a type of dimsum.

    the peanut sauce plus Batagor, like our very own pasembor lah. with fish cakes.

    ReplyDelete
  25. j2kfm: Yes, sounds exactly like siew mai... :) Ah, interesting to learn about pasembor.

    ReplyDelete
  26. wah this is truly indonesia food.
    so far I never seen in my country....

    it must be finger lickin good

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm loving all the street foods you have access to ther! Thanks for sharing them with us. I don't know why there's no good street-food-culture in Canada... nothing more than a few hotdog carts. Sad, because I think some of the tastiest dishes around found in these scrappy little snack-bars-on-wheels!

    ReplyDelete
  28. This is my kind of food! Especially the wonton (probably wantan here)! =D

    ReplyDelete
  29. Siowmay has wanton skin deepfried, dim sum on the road! roadside stalls are interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  30. you cant scare me I would plow into that like a freight train...

    ReplyDelete
  31. I love fried food. They really do look like sieu mai. Yum!

    Jackie @ PhamFatale.coom

    ReplyDelete
  32. pisang goreng: Some M’sian bloggers said that there’s also same version in Malayasia for Batagor which they called it as pasembor.

    marta: I’m so glad to share the local Indonesian street food, Marta :) Yes, you are so right, I also sometimes don’t understand why street food can be tastier, hehehe

    bangsar-babe: *hi 5* Here in Indonesia, we called it “Pangsit”

    ReplyDelete
  33. jencooks: Hehehe… yup!

    pearl: Interesting, isn’t it? ;)

    doggybloggy: Woohoo.. that's great! Hehehe…

    talat: Hi Talat, thanks for stopping by my blog :) It does look like siew mai, ya?

    ReplyDelete
  34. A lot of street food can be found at your place.

    ReplyDelete
  35. "begitu enak sekali!"

    Street food in your place is really interesting , in fact so full of culture and with great ambience

    ReplyDelete
  36. little inbox: Yes, heaps of street food. You’ll never be hungry ;)

    BBO: Hehehe… Yup, even as for a local, I also find it interesting :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. I always learn of new fun foods on your blog! This looks very interesting and yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  38. 5 star foodie: So happy to know that people are learning something new from my blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. It looks appetizing to me, actually everything looks good! I love reading about treats I haven't heard of before on your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  40. kerstin: Great that you find it appetizing, because when you try it, you always want for more ;)

    ReplyDelete
  41. Reading and seeing that has made me hungry! Another great post!!

    ReplyDelete
  42. sophie: It would great if we can go out to do gastronic tour together, so I could show you around the local Indonesian food :)

    jan: Thank you, Jan :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. Such street food has almost (or should I say...All) disappeared in SG!

    ReplyDelete
  44. tigerfish: Ah.. too bad if it totally disappeared from SG but then probably the competition between the street food and hawker centres are to high.

    ReplyDelete
  45. The Siomay is so lovely... I am drooling and I love Siomay so much! Hope I can have this at Indonesia with you one day! *wink*

    ReplyDelete
  46. bits of taste: *hi 5* Just let me know when you are coming to Jakarta then we can go for siomay hunting together ;)

    ReplyDelete
  47. mmm--I love fried food ;)

    Both of these look good--and the sauces! Nice.

    ReplyDelete
  48. I love street food. Somehow or other it taste better and you get to absorb the ambience of everything around you.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I don't know but I think I'll like it too when I'll try. Well, I also don't know when, but the day will be come.

    ReplyDelete
  50. You can never go wrong with fried food! I cook with kaffir lime leaves regularly, but I don't think I've had the juice before.

    ReplyDelete
  51. All of it looks really wonderful - I'd love to travel to you part of the world and get a taste!

    ReplyDelete
  52. tavolini: Hehehe… I bet you’ll love this dish :D

    jo: Yes, so true! It’s just different than eating in a restaurant or at home :)

    talita: Hopefully someday! I’m crossing fingers for you, Talita :)

    ReplyDelete
  53. sara: The aroma from kaffir lime leaves and juice is quite different. It’s very nice and refreshing :)

    Kristen: I would be happy to be your “tour guide” when visit Jakarta :)

    ReplyDelete
  54. marybeth: yessss.... so yummy!!! :D

    ReplyDelete
  55. This looks good. I love street foods also...gimme!

    ReplyDelete
  56. peachkins: Hello peachkins, thanks for stopping by my blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  57. Yikes, that whole spread looks great! I would try it, and probably love it too...I love it when you teach us this stuff about foods you enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  58. chef E: Thank you, Chef E! Glad to share my favorite local food with you all :)

    ReplyDelete
  59. So much food! Looks great really. I would like to try the siomay someday as it isn't fried and has less calories :).

    ReplyDelete
  60. ETE: Hehehe... trying to eat healty, ya? :)

    ReplyDelete
  61. Am vegetarian, but I can tell that really looks good.

    ReplyDelete
  62. ya, i believe it taste really nice too!

    ReplyDelete
  63. laveena: Oh.. you actually can eat the tofu, bitter gourd and cabbage with the peanut sauce :)

    sakaigirl: Yes, indeed :D

    ReplyDelete
  64. It looks and sound like our 'Yung Taufu'or stuffed tofu. But yung taufu uses mince meat as alternative stuffing.

    Sauce wise, we use a sweet sauce or 'Thim Cheong' in Cantonese, chili sauce or just plain with soup stock.

    ReplyDelete
  65. jason wong: Yung taufu? We have that kind of Chinese food too, in fact my mom used to make it. Ah, it's time to ask her to make it again :)

    ReplyDelete
  66. I had the chance to eat batagor siomay when I was in Bandung 2 years back on a uni field trip. I have to say that it really is very yummy! =) I wish I could eat it again.

    ReplyDelete
  67. next time you should try Pempek., :)

    ReplyDelete
  68. ekoy: Totally agreed that batagor siomay is very yummy :)

    katheleen: I already posted about Pempek: http://selbyfood.blogspot.com/2001/02/pondok-sanjaya-pempek-fish-cake.html

    ReplyDelete