Tukang Cilok Telor

There was a man selling Cilok Telor every afternoon in front of the gate of the complex where I work. Many people especially children love to buy this snack. 

Cilok (aci dicolok) is a west Java snack, made from tapioca flour and shape into little balls to become tapioca balls that put through skewer. 

Cilok

The Cilok are deep into whisked egg then deep fried in hot oil.

Fried Cilok with eggs.

Many kind of seasonings powder (BBQ, cheese, salt, and red chili) for Cilok.

1 skewer Cilok = Rp. 1.000

It tasted savory and got chewy texture.

Tukang Kue Pancong (Bandros)

Before the Working From Home was implemented because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I usually would see this Tukang Kue Pancong with his cart on the street every morning on the way to my working place. He started to make and sell the kue Pancong from 6.00 am until the latest 10.00 am. Most of the time, at 9.30 am, he would stop to make it because the batter already gone.

Kue Pancong (some people also known it as Bandros) is an Indonesian traditional snack from West Java that is made of  rice flour and coconut milk.

The special mold pan to make the Kue Pancong.

The very simple ingredients which are only rice flour, coconut, water and salt.

Besides the special mold pan, it also needs a special hook.

This is how the tukang kue pancong used the hook.

Drizzle with some sugar on the top of warm Kue Pancong. 

It tasted yummy!

Tukang Tahu Bulat (Round Tofu)

"Tahu Bulat... Tahu Bulat... Digoreng dadakan... Lima ratusan... Gurih gurih nyoi...." This is the advertisement played by a tape-recorder on the pick-up car which means Round Tofu, fried on the spot, five hundred (the price of one tofu), tasty tasty nyoi...

The round tofu being fried.

Beside the round tofu, there's also otak-otak (similar to fish cake).

1 piece = Rp. 500.

This is the pick-up car for selling the round tofu and fish cake.

Tukang Roti Pikulan

In the mornings, I usually will bump into this man who sells breads with a carrying pole. I can't imagine how much weight that he has to carry it  on his shoulder every day but for sure, it is quite heavy.

He is not only selling bread loaf and breads with filling (chocolate, coconut, peanut jam, cheese) but also some doughnuts.

A bread costed only Rp. 2.000 (14 cents USD).

It's tasted more like the old school homemade bread.

Tukang Kue Rangi (Sago cake)

I was passing this small alley on my way home and saw this man selling Kue Rangi. I seldom see this Kue Rangi seller so I couldn't resist to buy it.

Kue Rangi is made from tapioca starch or sago starch mixed with grated coconut.

Drizzled with brown sugar on the top.

It's crunchy but also chewy. Better to be eaten while it's warm because it becomes hard when it's cold.

Pecel (East Javanese vegetable salad)

In front of my work place, there's a lady selling Pecel every day around lunch time. She brought the ingredients of Pecel in a woven bamboo basket and carried it on her back.

Pecel is also Indonesian traditional vegetables salad like Gado - gado and Lotek. The ingredients of the peanut sauce is a bit different and usually is already done prepared, not like gado-gado or lotek which is made directly upon order. 

Fried food

Yellow chips

Fried Noodles

This how the lady prepare Pecel:

White rice with fried tofu and fried tempe (soybean cake).

Add the boiled vegetables.

Pour the peanut sauce on the top.

The Pecel is ready and don't forget to eat it with the yellow chips :)

Tukang Mendoan dan Tahu Goreng Isi

I was on my way home when I saw this cart with Tahu Goreng Isi (filled fried tofu). I just couldn't help myself not to buy and try it.

1 piece of Tahu Goreng Isi - Rp. 2.000

The frying process.

Bird chili is perfect for tahu goreng isi.

The tofu filling: grated carrot and bean sprout.

Current currency:

1 USD = Rp. 14.100

Street Food Hunting with Steven Goh

Steven Goh, a Malaysian blogger who writes about Penang's food, travel and lifestyle was in Jakarta for a business trip. I met him and his colleague on their first night in Jakarta. 

Steven was quite eagerly to try some the street food. So, I brought them around my neighborhood.

We began with Pisang Goreng Kalimantan (Borneo Fried Banana) from Pontianak.

The frying.

They deep fried the banana twice. To add the crunchiness?

Pisang Kepok is the type of banana.

Sweet, fragrant and soft... Definitely crunchy on the outside :)

Then, we moved to the next stall.

Sate Padang, originally from Padang, West Sumatra.

You can choose the part of beef you want: meat, tongue, intestine, liver. 

Grilled.

Rice cake (Ketupat).

The sauce is made from a lot of spices (turmeric, curry powder, coriander, cumin, galangal, garlic, chili, salt, pepper then mixed with rice flour)

Fried shallots on the top.

Spicy potato chips and fried beef rind known as Dorokdok.

If you like you can ask to add the spicy potato chips on the Sate Padang

And of course, they will add more sauce on it. 

Yummm.... I could only drool since I can't eat spicy food anymore

After Steven finished eating the Sate Padang with full of sweat all over his face because the spiciness of the Sate Padang sauce, we found a cart of another type of satay.

Sate Ayam & Sate Kambing (Chicken & Mutton Satays) from Madura, an island beside East Java.

The old school's way to grill satay on charcoal, using "hand fan" to keep the flame burning.

After the satays were grilled.

Peanut sauce mixed with sweet soy sauce.

Always... my favorite type of satay.

On the top, fried shallots added the deliciousness of these chicken satays.

Look how Steven and James were capturing a plate of Sate Ayam. I think the Sate Ayam vendor was pretty flattered to see how these two guys got so passionate capturing his food  :)

After the meaty food, now it's time for something sweet.

"Sinar Bulan" Martabak Manis Special

Indonesian version of thick pancake. This famous martabak manis is well-known in Bangka, a small island in east Sumatra.

Making the batter and also the martabak.

Big size and medium size.

We ordered for the special Martabak which means pure butter (Wijsman brand) with shredded cheese, chocolate sprinkles, ground peanuts and sesame seeds.

So rich, buttery, sweet, salty... One word to describe it... Delicious!!!

After all the food, we needed something to drink. Coincidentally, on the way back, we saw a new Taiwanese franchised tea store.

Shiny Tea

Thus, we ended up our street food hunting journey with milk teas :)

Boba Milk Tea and White Pearl Milk Tea.

 It was a fun night! Nice meeting you in person, Steven and James!