Lombok society would consider its religious rituals incomplete if Satay Pusut was not among the many dishes prepared as ceremonial offerings.
If you happen to find Satay Pusut – minced fish, chicken or beef mixed with fresh coconut, chilli and spices moulded and grilled on bamboo sticks – you can be sure it is derived from Lombok, the Island of One Thousand Mosques.
Exploring Lombok’s culinary world, in which raw native chilli is the dominant ingredient of most seasoning, is a welcome challenge for visitors. Among favourite dishes are Pelecing Kangkung, sautéed water spinach and bean sprouts with tomato sauce and shredded coconut, and Nasi Puyung, very spicy rice wrapped in banana leaves.
Local people, however, love to savour the flavour of Satay Pusut which features at almost every religious and customary event where large ceremonial food trays (pesaji) are filled with various delicacies, including Satay Pusut and steamed white rice.
Satay Pusut is available every day, though, at locations such as on the streets of Gerung, about 20 kilometres south of Mataram, where women congregate in the afternoons to sell all kinds of Satay Pusut in various sizes.
“These satays will sell fast, especially if they have been newly grilled,” said local seller Inaq Ming, 45.
The distinctive Satay Pusut has long been a typical culinary icon of Lombok. In other areas of Indonesia, satays are usually made from cubes of meat skewered on bamboo sticks. Satay Pusut is different.
The 15 centimetre bamboo skewers have been refined to accept the Satay Pusut mixture which is moulded to the stick by placing the mixture, known locally as kekatik, in a fist and slowly clenching and unclenching it around the stick.
Most mixtures consist of minced meat, grated coconut, coconut milk and seasoning.
Firstly, the meat is boiled, cut and minced and mixed with coconut milk, citrus, salt and pepper. At this stage the special skill, which eludes many people, of making exactly the right amount of mixture adhere to the stick, comes into play. Usually about half of the mixture is kept for later.
Don’t make the mistake of concluding that Lombok’s Satay Pusut is the same as Bali’s Satay Lilit as there are fundamental differences which reflect historical variations between the two islands.
While both satay mixtures are moulded to bamboo sticks with clenched fists, the Satay Lilit mixture is made from minced seafood and different spices.
Satay lover Sinta, of Mataram, says the essential difference lies in the larger size of Satay Lilit which creates problems in adjusting the seasoning for each satay stick.
Lombok authorities had flagged the concept of patenting Satay Pusut as an original food of Lombok, but little has been heard of the plan.
For the flavour-conscious Lombok society, of equal popularity to Satay Pusut is traditional Satay Bulayak, made from beef dressed with typical spices of Lombok and served with rice cake wrapped in coconut leaf.
The distinguishing flavour of Satay Bulayak is created from a seasoning made from roasted crushed peanuts boiled with coconut milk and herbs. The resultant flavour is often described as a curry.
Satay Bulayak can be readily found along Jalan Udayana in Mataram and at Narmada Park in West Lombok.
Don’t deny yourself some of Lombok’s sensational culinary specialities, and be sure to seek out the every-popular and hard to concoct Satay Pusut.
source:enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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