Typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi

by: Rezki Aulia

I am Javanese but I was born in Kendari. Even though, I am Javanese I know a little about typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi. I can mention sinonggi that is famous typical food of Kendari. Sinonggi is made from sago. And sago derived from sago tree. We should peel the sago tree until smooth. After that sago is filtered to get concentrate. Then, we can use sago to make sinonggi. We should mix sago with hot water in making sinonggi. Sinonggi is also served with fish generally white fish in order that the taste can be suitable. Sinonggi is the most popular food for Tolakinese and Kabaenanese. Eating sinonggi also becomes a symbol of kinship. The other typical food of Southeast Sulawesi is tuna. Tuna is plentiful in the sea of Southeast Sulawesi. One of the most popular methods of cooking the tuna, there is dousing it with lime juice and grilling it. It can then be enjoyed with a coconut milk sauce seasoned with shallots, finely sliced lemon grass and sour fruit or belimbing sayur, the usual souring agent. Actually there are many people like the typical foods from Southeast Sulawesi like my friend from east Java who had visited me last year. He was very enjoyable when I served him the dishes such as sinonggi, tuna bake, coconut ice etc. when I asked my friend what he liked about the typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi. He smiled and said the dishes were as delicious as the dishes from the restaurant. There are still a lot of typical foods from Southeast Sulawesi such as sanggara mekongga, sate pokea, bamboo rice, jambu mete etc. Sanggara mekongga is a dish made from steamed

bananas dipped in beaten egg, fried until golden brown and then coated with gooey caramel. It is the perfect accompaniment for tea or coffee. Sate pokea is the most popular in Pohara district and it will not be left by people or tourist if they are in Pohara to taste the sate pokea. Sate pokea is cooked from cockle shells and it is always served with gogos that is made from rice. Bamboo rice is one of typical foods from Southeast Sulawesi which I do like because my father can cook this food very well and delicious. Bamboo rice is always cooked by Kabaenanese. This food is also used for welcoming guests or visitors. Bamboo rice is served with fish bake and coconut ice. The first food that I ate when I arrived from Java was the bamboo rice and there are still some typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi that I can not mention. I think that the typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi are interesting to be showed as the culinary culture. I believe that the typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi have charm to get interest of tourist. The tourist will be glad to come here because the tourists not only enjoy tourism object here but also taste the typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi. The typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi have unique taste for people who have never tasted it. I think the typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi will not be left by some ethnics because it is not only about taste or delicious but also it becomes the symbol or value to associate, respect one another, keep kinship, explore culture, maintenance tradition etc. Therefore, as a young generation I must know well about typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi even I should be able to make some typical food of Southeast Sulawesi. Besides that, government must pay attention about the typical foods of Southeast Sulawesi as a culinary asset and culinary culture. Thus, government or Southeast Sulawesi people can use this opportunity to become charm in getting income from culinary sector.