Love from the East: The Sweet and Savory Treasures of Papua and Maluku (7)

 

Love from the East: The Sweet and Savory Treasures of Papua and Maluku (7)

Welcome, explorers of Indonesian Cuisine! In this installment of our journey, we’ll explore the incredible culinary landscape of Indonesia! Today, we’ll explore the easternmost regions of the archipelago, namely Papua and Maluku. These regions are renowned for their stunning natural beauty, as well as their unique traditional snacks, which have garnered attention from other locals. We’ll be introduced to these two delicious yet distinct dishes, each with its own unique flavor.

Kue Sagu Bagea

Let's transition from a sweet, soft dessert to a dry and crunchy one with Kue Sagu Bagea, a traditional dry cookie found in Maluku and Papua, which includes a key ingredient that makes it different--sago flour. Sago, derived from the pith of a sago palm is plentiful in this area. These small round cookies are baked until the outside crust is firm and dry, but unexpectedly a slightly soft and sandy crunch comes from the inside. Kue Sagu Bagea usually has crushed kenari nuts mixed in with the dough to add a rich savory nutty flavor; however, the sensational aroma is the true signature of Kue Bagea. This is due mostly to the warm spices which are an element that truly differentiates this cookie from any cookie you may have had. The dough is flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and with every bite you are transported to a comfort and exotic smell that you really will enjoy, and this is another sensory experience, and you might have all recalled the spice trading that was done throughout the archipelago, and it is more than a snack.

Kue Lontar

Now let's change from sweet and soft to crunchy and fragrant with Kue Sagu Bagea. This traditional dry cookie is served in Maluku and Papua. The use of sago flour, as the main ingredient, truly defines the uniqueness of this cookie. Sago comes from the pith of the sago palm, which is abundantly found in this part of the country. The round-shaped little cookie is baked until it is hard and dry on the outside, but surprisingly crunchy and lightly soft on the inside. Sometimes, crushed kenari nuts are added to the dough for an indulgent flavor.

However, the distinctive flavor profile of bagea cake lies in its extraordinary aroma. This distinguishes it from other pastries in its aroma, which features fragrant and warm spices. The dough is often mixed with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, resulting in a fragrant and exotic blend that can evoke a sense of calm. This complex flavor, combined with the aroma, makes this cake more than a snack; it represents a sensory experience that connects the history of spices originating from the Maluku Islands. Furthermore, this lontar cake and sago cake together strive to present to the wider public the beauty of the culinary diversity offered by eastern Indonesia. One is a soft, communal dessert for sharing joy at big gatherings, and the other is a hardy. They prove that from creamy to the crunchy, the flavors of Papua and Maluku are truly unforgettable, offering a delicious taste of the land and its people.