How To Make Pempek

Almost 3 months ago, I was in Indonesia.

Palembang was my first port of call before I went on to Jogjakarta.

Part of what I love about travelling is learning about the culture of a place. Indonesia is rich with that!

For Palembang, specifically, one such item is the food!

Now, “Pempek” (or “empek-empek”) is a savoury fishcake delicacy from Palembang, made of fish and tapioca.

Fortunately, I was able to learn how to make authentic Palembang Pempek while I was there!

The basic ingredients are pretty simple – fishmeat, water, monosodium glutamate/MSG and salt.

But I’d rather show you how to make it rather than type it all out so, here is my video recording of some aunties from St Stefanus, Palembang, teaching us how to make authentic Palembang pempek!

(Don’t worry, all the important stuff are subtitled in all my videos – remember to click the “CC” button to activate subtitles!)

Pempek is served with rich sweet and sour sauce called kuah cuka or kuah cuko or just “cuko”. And this is how to make cuko:

The above is the basic Palembang Pempek. For other variants, you can check my other videos below as well:

Pempek kulit/Fish-Skin Pempek:

Pempek kapal selam/Submarine Pempek
Pempek telur kecil/Small Egg Pempek
Pempek pistel/Papaya pempek

Good luck! Let me know if you succeed and how it taste yeah!

Even better, let me try your creation too! =D

I want to be a Travel Writer!

Earlier this month, my brother sent me an intriguing text.

It was about this Travel Writing Scholarship to Southeast Asia organized by WorldNomads.com.

Here’s the gist of the scholarship:

First off – Singapore, to go on assignment for five days under the mentorship of Rough Guides writer Richard Lim to review and update ‘The Rough Guide to Singapore’.

Next- Bali, meet up with Stuart McDonald, founder of Travelfish, the online travel guide to Southeast Asia, before heading off on six days of cultural insight and adventure in Indonesia.

Lastly – Malaysia, for a food odyssey through Kuala Lumpur and Penang with former local and cookbook author of award winning hsa*ba Burmese cookbook, Tin Cho Chaw, to explore how cuisine shapes the lives of Malaysians.

If you know me at all, you’ll know that I love Travelling and Writing, as such travel writing is the perfect career, my dream job! The opportunity to be mentored and be on assignment like a real travel writer is just something too precious to miss out on. So, what did I need to do to apply?

1. Write. Craft a 2000 character or less (this includes spaces) travel focused essay based on a personal experience around one of the following themes;

a. ‘Understanding a Culture through Food’

b. ‘A Local Encounter that Changed my Life’

c. ‘Seeing the World through Others Eyes’

d. ‘Giving Back on the Road’

2. Complete an entry form which includes contact details and a maximum 800 character essay on why you should be chosen and what the opportunity will mean for you.

So I did!

Click here to read my entry for this scholarship.

One person was only allowed one entry so may the best writer win!

I know competition is stiff,  but to be a travel writer is my destiny. The winner will be announced on May 17th – to win this would make a really really awesome birthday present!