- VIVA/Teguh Joko Sutrisno.
VIVA – When in the Simpang Lima area, Semarang and want to go to Tugu Muda, tourists will pass a road called Pandanaran Street. On this road, there is an area which is a favorite destination for travelers on this Eid holiday 2022.
There are various culinary specialties of Semarang. Starting from presto milkfish or locally known as Bandeng Presto, wingko tripe or locally known as Wingko Babat, tofu meatballs, to spring rolls or locally known as Lumpia.
It is known that since the first day of Eid until D+3 on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, hundreds of travelers homecoming and tourists stopped by the souvenir center of Pandanaran Street after staying in touch or just taking a walk to tourist attractions.
Usually, they buy food and drinks either to be eaten on the spot or for travel supplies or for souvenirs.
There are many shops that sell various culinary delights in the area of Lawang Sewu tourist destination. From big shops to street vendors, the favorites are presto milkfish, Semarang spring rolls and wingko tripe.
According to one tourist who comes to Semarang, she usually buys Milkfish Presto which is a favorite of Semarang to be used as souvenirs.
"I like milkfish presto when I come here. It's processed in a pressure cooker so that the thorns become soft and can be eaten," said Amelia, a tourist from Pati.
Not only presto milkfish, a favorite food that should not be forgotten when visiting Semarang is spring rolls or Lumpia.
Reported by warisanbudaya.kemdikbud.go.id Loenpia or spelled lun pia is absorbed from the Hokkien Chinese dialect word run bing which then synergizes with Javanese lum ping (skin) to become lumpia. Lumpia is a spring roll (roll cake) so it is possible that the spring rolls have not been fried, only wet spring rolls. Lumpia or lunpia are both correct.
Lumpia Semarang.
- Cookpad/Indah Mulia
Lumpia Semarang main ingredients are bamboo shoots, the taste is sweet and savory and eaten with a slightly sweet thick sauce with pickled cucumber, cayenne pepper, and scallions.
This spring roll is being hunted by travelers for their souvenir. Lumpia vendors lined up along the sidewalks of the souvenir area. There are more than 20 shops in total.
Spring roll’s sellers admitted that this Eid sales were very good after the government allowed homecoming. Each seller can sell 500 pieces per day on the Eid al-Fitr holiday. The total increased 4 times compared to normal days. The price of spring rolls in this area is between Rp10.000 until Rp15.000/spring rolls.
"Alhamdulillah, the merchandise for this Eid is selling well. It can close the last two Lebaran seasons where there were restrictions," said Halimah, a Semarang spring rolls seller.
The last food that is typical of the city of Semarang is Wingko tripe or Wingko Babat. This food made from typical Indonesian ingredients such as grated coconut, granulated sugar, white glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, chicken eggs, and pandan leaves.
In the past, wingko tripe was only made with coconut flavor and pandan aroma. But now, buyers can get wingko tripe with chocolate, pandan, durian, banana, and jackfruit flavors.
Although popular in Semarang, apparently the original wingko tripe is actually from Lamongan, East Java. Starting from the place of production in the sub-district of Babat. So, it's why this food is called wingko babat.
Then, Wingko tripe marketed through the railway line along Babat, Bojonegoro, Cepu, to Semarang. It's no wonder that wingko tripe is sold in Semarang.
The crowd of the souvenir center on Pandanaran street is expecting to last during the Lebaran holiday until Saturday and Sunday, May 7 until May 8, 2022.
