West Papua has traditional specialties whose main ingredients are sago. No wonder their traditional food uses sago as the main ingredient because sago flour is very easy to find on this island.
Papua is an island located at the eastern tip of Indonesia and is famous for its amazing natural wealth. However, its very interesting culture and unique culinary delights are a must for foodies.
Different from most areas in the archipelago using rice as a staple food, Papuan people rely more on sago as the main menu. Not surprisingly, Kalai will find a variety of Papuan cuisine that is rarely found elsewhere.
Although sago is the main ingredient of West Papua food, there are still many other Papuan specialties that can be enjoyed by a variety of marine animals. The marine animals found on this island also vary from sea pigs to fresh fish.
This typical Papuan food is the staple food of the lowland and coastal communities of Papua. The tribes that make papeda as their staple food are the Asmat, Mappi, and Mimika tribes. Papeda itself is more popular in the Manokwari indigenous community.
Papeda as a Staple Food for the People of West Papua
Papeda is a food that is rich in fiber, cholesterol, and enough to meet human nutrition. The main ingredient of papeda comes from sago flour sourced from the sago tree in Papua. Sago is already widely known by the people of eastern Indonesia.
Not only that, but sago is also widely known by the Malay community such as Malaysia and Brunei. This food called papeda is also well known by the Malay community as ‘Linut’. Especially in South Sulawesi, this food is known as ‘Kapurung’.
In addition to sago flour, the ingredients needed to make this dish are water and a little salt to add a salty taste. How to cook and make it is also fairly easy to include all the ingredients at once and cook until thickened.
For companion ingredients to eat papeda, you can combine several side dishes such as various fish dishes, or other dishes. You can combine it with soupy food or stir-fried food which is also suitable to accompany eating papeda.
How to Make Papeda Done by the People of West Papua
Although it may be strange for most people, this food also has a delicious taste when eaten. Indeed, if you only eat papeda it tastes very bland, you need to combine it. A few steps to make papeda are very easy.
• Extraction of sago starch
Before becoming papeda, sago that must be processed is obtained from sago trees that are ready to be harvested with an age range of seven to ten years. After felling, the tree is divided into two parts and the sago essence is extracted from the trunk using a tool.
• Sago processing
The essence taken from the tree is still in the form of raw sago and will then be stored in a container called tumang. Sago cannot be cooked, it must be left for a few days before it can be used as raw material for papeda.
• Processing sago into papeda
Before you start to make papeda, you need to prepare the main ingredient of the food, namely sago. Not only that, but you also need enough water to cook together with sago flour and a little salt to add a salty taste.
• Cook side dishes
To eat papeda, you must eat it together with the appropriate side dishes such as processed fish or gravy. You can process tuna from the West Papua sea catch which is still fresh and full of vitamins.
Things that Must be Considered when Processing Papeda
When you choose flour to make papeda, you must choose good quality flour. Not sago flour which is often sold in supermarkets or other stores, but sago which is obtained directly from the essence of the sago tree.
Papeda quality will depend on the type of sago selected. The quality of papeda which is often cooked is pure white which is a bit wet and dense depending on the sago used. This flour is not as fine as sago flour that is sold in supermarkets usually.
If we see people making papeda, maybe we think it’s trivial. However, processing papeda food requires the right dose. Most inexperienced people of West Papua have difficulty and fail to make papeda.
Two factors cause papeda cooking failure, namely the number of ingredients and the temperature of the water used. If too much water is used, the papeda that will be produced will have a crunchy texture, while if it is too little, the papeda will be hard.
Water temperature is very influential on the process of forming papeda. The water should not be too hot and should not be too cold. The temperature of the water used must be right and it should be noted that not all residents can make papeda, typical food of West Papua.
