Culinary Processing of Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida has been the center of life since ancient or prehistoric times, during the stone culture period. Based on research conducted in Gua Gede – Pejukutan Village, traces of life in Nusa Penida have existed since the megalithic, neolithic, mesolithic, and even paleolithic periods. The findings show that since ancient times, Nusa Penida has been a food-independent island inhabited by a community of nature and ancestor worshipers, and functions as a stopover for migrants.

In the neolithic period, one of the technologies brought and developed was agricultural technology. “Ancient” terraces that are no longer cultivated are spread around Gua Gede. Traces of agriculture during this period can be seen through Batu Jijih or Batu Moncong which are located in the Tunjuk Pusuh Temple area in Tanglad Village. Jijih or rice is considered a source of life, namely a source of food.

Furthermore, one of the relics from the megalithic period can be seen in Batukandik Village, namely Puseh Meranting Temple. This temple holds several archaeological relics made of coral, including menhirs, stone thrones, statues, and a padma called Sanggar Tawang. The ornament on the padma is a straddling human, often used in prehistoric times to depict spiritual and magical powers, especially as a ward off disaster and to bring fertility to crops. In an effort to restore food independence in Nusa Penida, on Sunday, April 28, 2024, a group of mothers and young people from the Bukit Keker Learning House and Tanglad Traditional Village participated in the Culinary Processing and Presentation Training (food and beverages) and Business Plan Preparation. The activity was carried out in collaboration with Ezzyclass.id from Elizabeth International, with funding support from PT Langgeng Kreasi Jayaprima (Diageo Indonesia) as a form of the company’s social responsibility.

The menu made is:

1. Be sere lemo. The main ingredient is fish, with shallot and garlic seasoning, tomatoes, red chili and cayenne pepper, shrimp paste, lime leaves, lemongrass, lime, and mushroom broth. Cut the fish (fillet) without bones, then dry with tissue/clean cloth (do not wash so that the taste of the fish is not lost). Fry the fish, do not overcook, shred and set aside. Next, prepare the sere lemo (shrimp paste and lime) seasoning, namely grind/blend garlic, tomatoes, large red chili, cayenne pepper, grilled shrimp paste, oil, do not make it too smooth. Tips so that the taste and color of the chili sauce do not fade is to blend the spices with cooking oil. Saute the ground spices, add lemongrass and lime leaves until cooked and fragrant. Add the shredded fish, add 1 glass of drinking water, then wait until the spices are absorbed, add mushroom broth. Turn off the heat, add lemon juice. In addition to being eaten directly, it can also be used as a topping for ledok (local porridge served with vegetables).
2. Ledok. The main ingredients are rice and corn made into porridge, with a mixture of pumpkin, long beans, and various leaves. Ledok is served attractively with toppings of be sere lemo (shrimp paste and lime), fried sliced ​​potatoes, and embe (fried onions) chili sauce, and a little coconut oil.
3. Embe (fried onions) chili sauce. Tips for making the color of embe chili sauce attractive is to use turmeric when frying onions. Crush the turmeric, put it in the heated cooking oil, and fry over low heat. Then add the garlic, remove. Then fry the shallots and chilies until brown.
4. Gendar kacang Ice. The main ingredient is jaje gendar (gendar cake) made from mashed corn. As a complement are coconut milk and red beans, cang (Biancaea sappan L. Tod.) wood syrup and ginger, brown sugar, peanuts cooked with brown sugar and ginger, and added ice cubes. Cang wood syrup is made from 3 pieces of ginger, 10 grams of secang (Biancaea sappan L. Tod.) wood, 100 grams of sugar, and cooked in 350 ml of water.

In addition to food, other preparations include mixing drinks, namely:

• Bukit Keker spice mojito, made from ginger, lime, lemon juice, cang wood syrup, mint leaves, arak or soda, and crushed ice.
• Nyurya sewana at Bukit Keker, consisting of ginger, lemon juice, cang wood syrup, and ice cubes, shaken using a shaker.
• Bukit Keker ice tea, consisting of lemon juice, ginger and lemongrass syrup, secang (Biancaea sappan L. Tod.), and sprite

As a note, in addition to providing an attractive color, secang (Biancaea sappan L. Tod.) also functions to reduce the alcohol content from 30% -40% to around 13%.

In addition to practicing processing and serving typical Nusa food and drinks, the training that was also carried out was preparing a business plan. This activity was attended mainly by young people, some of whom were school students. Important things to do in preparing a business plan are:

• Background of the planned business choice.
• Business profile, including logo and its definition, product name, vision and mission, product analysis (main product and derivatives), product impact (environmental, economic, social), market analysis, competitors, market opportunities, promotional media, strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-challenges, and costs.
• Maximum selling price of 70% for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises).

Enthusiasm for mothers and friends of Nusa Penida.