PEMPEK PALEMBANG

Pempek or Empek-Empek is a delicacy from Palembang which is made of fish and sago. Pempek is eaten together with a dark sauce called cuka or cuko (in bahasa Palembang). Cuko is produced from adding brown sugar, chili pepper, garlic, vinegar, and salt into hot boiling water.

There are many variety of pempek and the most famous pempek is "pempek kapal selam" ("kapal selam" means "submarine" in English). This pempek is actually made of egg (usually chicken), wrapped together with the pempek dough and being deep fried. Scientific says that pempek kapal selam is the most nutritious, high in vitamin, protein, mineral, and carbohydrate. Besides "pempek kapal selam", there are also "pempek telur kecil", "pempek keriting", "pempek pistel (or pastel(?)", "pempek kulit ikan", "pempek adaan", "pempek lenjer", and "pempek tahu". Pempek pastel is pempek which has groceries, inside its own body.

According to legend, around 1617 there was an old Chinese Man who lived nearby Musi river. He noticed abundant fishes caught by the local fishermen, however this indigenous people did not know how to cook the fishes properly. During that time, most of the indigenous people only fried the fishes instead of adding with some other ingredients to make new dishes. This old Chinese Man began a new alternative by mixing with sago and some other spices. He sold this newly created dish around the village by riding his bicycle. As the indigenous people began to call this old Chinese Man "pek ... apek" ('Apek' is a Chinese slang for an old man), thus the food is known as empek-empek or pempek today.

The most famous pempek outlets in Palembang can be found in Jalan Slamet Riyadi, 10 Ulu. some of the famous pempek outlet in palembang are "warung pempek Pak Raden", "warung pempek Dempo", "warung pempek Saga", "Pempek Nony", etc. Actually, pempek can be found easily in every side of Palembang. There are numerous pempek sellers in Palembag most of these use what is called "cheap fish". Easy to detect as the smell is quite strong. For the best pempek seek out those who use "Belido Ikan", expensive but the most delicious of all. The most popular pempek outlets in Palembang are: - Cafe Nawa No1 Pempek, Pempek Nony and Pempek Candy.