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5 traditional must-try culinary delights of Aceh
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Served with basil and pandan leaves that give a kick to the flavor, Ayam Tangkap is a must-try dish when visiting Aceh. (The Jakarta Post/Wienda Parwitasari)
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span style="line-height: 1.6em;">A province full of vistas, Aceh never ceases to amaze people with its wonderful attractions. It's known for its Gayo coffee, sharia, stunning landscape and colorful life that is very different from that in any other Indonesian province. Besides the culture, Aceh is also home to delicious, must-try culinary delights.
Sie Reuboh, daging rebus asam cuka (sour beef stew)
Hot, sour and spicy, this stew is rich in spices and other ingredients. The beef is cooked with chili, turmeric, galangal, palm vinegar, lime and garlic. Some say the flavor is better when the dish is cooked in a clay pot over a wood fire. Sie Reuboh is a popular Acehnese meal to celebrate the meugang tradition, in which a cow is sacrificed and after a ritual is held people share the meat with neighbors. This ritual is usually held to welcome major holy days, such as a day prior to the start of Ramadhan, Eid-al-Fitr and Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice).
Ayam Tangkap
Unlike other chicken dishes, Ayam Tangkap is served with a mixture of pandan and basil leaves that are fried with the chicken. The leaves give an extra kick to the dish. Other ingredients include ginger, tamarind water, green chili, shallots and garlic.
Eungkot Paya
According to Tribun News, eungkot paya means fresh- salt-water fish, cooked curry-style in coconut milk, with bamboo shoots, banana blossoms or saba banana (pisang kepok). The distinctive taste of this dish comes from roasted desiccated coconut and coriander. Like most other Acehnese dishes, this fish curry is bold in flavor.
Sate Matang
‘Matang’ in Bahasa Indonesia means well done, but according to Kompas, the word matang in Sate Matang shows its origin, Matang Glumpang Dua district in Bieruen regency, Aceh. Cooked using mutton or beef, the most distinct feature of this satay dish is the rich flavor of mutton broth with a hint of galangal. The sultry taste balances the sweet flavor that comes from the nutty satay sauce. The serving of the dish can be quite noisy, as the servers bang the table with soy sauce bottles as they prepare it.
Mie Aceh
Perhaps the most renowned dish is Mie Aceh, thick yellow noodles with curry sauce. The most important ingredient is the curry leaves, and the noodles are usually served with seafood such as crab, shrimp or squid. According to Kompas, it’s a bit hard to find it by the name Mie Aceh in Aceh, mostly because the dish was named outside the province to distinguish it from other types of noodles. (asw)
