TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cheng Beng festival alias pilgrimage to the relatives' cemetery conducted by the Chinese descent and is held royally in a number of places in Indonesia. On the Bangka Island, it was even greeted with Bangka Cultural Wave Festival.
Head of Culture Department of Bangka Tourism Zuardi said it was held from 24 March to 5 April. It displayed various art performances and culinary bazaars of Bangka and Belitung.
Visitors can find a variety of local foods, from snack to heavy meals. Zuardi said, there are at least three snacks that he recommended for the travelers. As follows:
1. Lempah Kuning (Yellow Lempah)
Yellow lempah or sea lempah is a fish soup. It was named because the sauce is yellow-colored. The yellow sauce comes from the turmeric spices and marine fish broth. It is also mixed with pineapple so it feels sour and fresh.
The fish is usually a fleshy fish, such as pomfret and mackerel. It will be delicious to be eaten with warm rice, coupled with the raw chili sauce that has a spicy flavor.
2. Lempah Darat (Land Lempah)
The spices come from the mainland. According to Zuardi, it is cooked with an ‘economical’ spice. “There are only three spices, shrimp paste, salt, and chili,” he said.
While the dregs contain vegetables such as taro rods, young kencur leaves, young pea eggplant, and purple eggplant.
3. Mi Koba (Koba Noodles)
Tourists are more familiar with the mi Bangka (Bangka Noodles). The soup of the noodles derived from the meat of the destroyed sea fish. The spice is cooked with flavorful cooking spices to disguise the fishy smell.
Mi Koba will complete the Cheng Beng festival. Especially for the Chinese community, the noodles attached to the symbol of longevity.
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA
