Hey! How’s it going? It’s Gembira! Hope your week has been amazing! I’ve had such a fun one, and I’m so pumped to share it with you!
I've been missing Indonesian foods recently, so I decided to eat pecel! And I noticed that the pecel that I was eating tasted slightly different that what I usually ate, it even has a different topping than the pecel that I remembered!
I wanted to know why, so I asked around and guess what? Turns out the pecel that I was eating was pecel Madura and the one I usually eat was pecel Madiun, I was so curious about this that I ended up going into a rabbit hole of pecel and its different regional variations! Here I'll share some of my discoveries with you!
Pecel Madiun (from East Java) has peanut sauce that is super thick and sweet, made with tamarind and palm sugar! It’s a little like a warm hug in a bowl. But Pecel Solo, they make it spicier, with more chili and garlic. It's a punch of heat and flavor!
Now, Pecel Betawi from Jakarta? It’s got a salty kick with terasi (fermented shrimp paste) in the sauce—so savory and umami! And get this—Pecel Bali is all about those aromatic spices like turmeric and lemongrass. It’s got that beautiful, fresh vibe.
Oh, and did you know Pecel Semarang has this tangy twist? They use tamarind to add a bit of sourness to the peanut sauce, but it’s not as sweet as Pecel Madiun. The tanginess really brightens up the veggies, and it’s sooo good!
After trying all of them, my favorite is definitely the spicy one (sorry Madiun) . Pecel Solo has my heart right now. Have you tried it, or do you have a regional favorite?
If you want to try making Pecel at home it's super easy! All you need is some fresh veggies, a homemade peanut sauce (or store-bought if you’re in a rush), and bam—you’ve got a healthy, tasty snack. Trust me, it’s the perfect dish to enjoy with friends or when you need a quick meal. So, what are you waiting for? Get to making it and enjoy!