BAYWATCH pecel - Tasting pecel Kembang Turi prepared by Grandma Warno "Anderson"

Jumat, 07 November 2008

BAYWATCH pecel - Tasting pecel Kembang Turi prepared by Grandma Warno "Anderson"

At first, I wondered about the name 'pecel Baywatch' for the menu served by Grandma Warno. I naughtily imagined that the seller of the food dresses in bikini like Pamela Anderson or at least the warong is at the seaside. It turned out to be wrong. This is the full story.

Grandma Warno's warong is located in Kasongan area, on the way to Gunung Sempu to be exact. The warong that has been operating for 35 years is very simple. The name board of the warong is only of 30 x 20 cm2 size so that it will be overlooked if we do not notice it well. The interior of the warong is completed with simple, functional household furnishings. There are only some wooden tables and chairs and one bamboo divan. Behind the table where the goods are displayed, there is a kitchen with some braziers that always billow smokes. In fact, it is such an accidental setting because in general a kitchen is set at the back part. Grandma Warno set the kitchen in front part of the warong after the earthquake in May 2006 that ruined his house. "There's not enough money to build a new kitchen," he said.

Grandma Warno sells pecel (it is mix of boiled vegetables served with peanut sauce) as the main course with various side dishes, ranging from fried cat fish and eel, sweet marinated tempe, mangut belut(eels cooked in thick, spicy coconut milk), to fried noodles. YogYES ordered all of the menus in order to taste these cuisines by Grandma Warno.

While waiting, I imagined the origin of pecel that is as absurd as the origin of soto. Many areas in Java have this menu with its own characteristic, take example of pecel Madiun, pecel Blitar, pecel Madura, pecel Slawi, and others. However, at least a Dutch historian named H.J. Graaf once revealed that when Ki Ageng Pemanahan executed the order of Sultan Hadiwijaya to move to a forest called Alas Mentaok (now Kotagede), his group was welcomed by the society along Opak River and was entertained with various foods, including pecel.

I ended my imagination when the pecel came with several side dishes on the table. A plate of pecel, fried cat fish, and fried, marinated, sweet tofu seemed to wait for being enjoyed. There are four kinds of vegetable mixed with peanut sauce, namely spinach, papaya leaf, turi flower (Sesbania grandiflora), and been sprout. The sweet peanut sauce will seduce our tongue. While chewing the turi flower that tastes a little bit bitter, the sweet taste blends to produce delicacy that cannot be expressed easily.

The serving of such pecel with the turi flower is characteristic of the village pecel. It is difficult at this time to get sellers of this kind of pecel. It is believed that turi flowers have the efficacy to reduce mild headache and inflammation. It is not surprising, therefore, that the people of Java, India, and Suriname (who are of the same descendent with Javanese people) eat young turi flowers as vegetable.

pecel will taste more delicious if it is added with fried cat fish or fried, sweet, marinated tofu. The cat fish is fried deep to result if crispy taste. The fried, sweet, marinated tofu is served with fresh, green chilly as side dish. There are also some other menus such as fried eels with its two variations. First, the deep fried small eels and regular fried of bigger size eels. For those fond of spicy food, fried noodle and eels cooked in spicy, thick coconut milk are also served. The smokes from the braziers add the sensation of the taste in this warong.

It is either being full or the effect of the turi flowers, I feel that my brain was brighter than before. While having small talks with Grandma Warno and his assistant, I finally knew the story behind the name pecel Baywatch. It is because Grandma Warno and his assistant always wear sleeveless undershirt that is so comfortable to be worn in Kasongan Bantul area with its dry and hot weather.

Although you can find pecel sellers almost anywhere, pecel Baywatch definitely offers you something different. A combination of delicious food, village atmosphere, and friendliness of Grandma Warno "Anderson".