A Tasty Penggel Rice From Kebumen
If Pekalongan has Sego Megono, Surakarta has Liwet Rice, Cirebon has Lengko Rice, then Kebumen has Penggel Rice. Call it a fan as we say 'e' in a pencil. If you are in Kebumen in the morning, it is a necessity to taste the typical taste of Kebumen cuisine which is only available at this time of the morning.
It was only early in the morning, the sun still dimmed, revealing one's identity after deep sleep at night. However, Gunungsari Hamlet, Pejagoan Village, Pejagoan District has been noisy with a crowd of people waiting in line. On the side of the highway, on two sides, dozens of people were willing to get up early to get a bite of Penggel Rice which was sold in several stalls. I also lined up while fresh breathing in the morning air in an area located 2 km west of the town square of Kebumen.
Of the several sellers, Melan's stalls are the busiest. Pak Melan's Penggel Rice is known as the most legendary Penggel Rice in Kebumen. Melan looks so deftly serving the requests of visitors who seem to be endless. Open from 05.30, no later than 08.00 the booths are finished. Other stalls are also not much different. Melan had to get a marathon to get vegetables and side dishes for the Penggel rice pair offered by the customers.
"If you take the rice yourself, bro. Please, whatever you take, ”said Melan many times as if he wanted to get rid of the awkwardness from every buyer to him. The terms are like, "Think of it yourself. Please eat to your heart's content and enjoy it "
Taking Penggel Rice means taking rice which is formed in the shape of a ping pong ball. Penggel rice means rice that is rounded. I took 10 rounds of rice covered with banana leaves which were formed 'pincuk'. Usually the buyer will take 8-15 rounds of rice and in my opinion that number is very filling. Penggel rice balls are placed in baskets arranged in layers. Each layer of Penggel Rice will be separated with banana leaf sheets.
Rice taken by the buyer is then offered to Melan to pour vegetables and side dishes. This vegetable is a simple savory spiced coconut milk lodeh mixed with 'gori' or young jackfruit, cassava leaves, tempeh, tofu, and melinjo or gnetum.
As for the side dishes of Penggel Rice are cow's skin and offal such as tripe, intestines, gravel, flank, heart, kidney, lung, and so on. I complement the pleasure of Penggel Rice by matching it with tempeh mendoan and warm tea. From the vegetables and side dishes of Penggel Rice, I feel the thickness of the typical ‘wong cilik’ (ordinary people) which is actually the majority of Kebumen people.
"The price of beef will be expensive. I'll buy a little later. Yes, this is simple, bro. The most important thing is that everyone can enjoy it, "said Melan, whose appearance also implies a really simple person.
Eating the most typical Penggel Rice is with a banana leaf spoon. However, most buyers use ordinary spoons that are considered more practical without reducing enjoyment.
Formerly, the fried rice was still in the form of rounded rice, but if it was mixed with vegetable sauce and side dishes it would slowly crumble into normal rice. Melan said although it will also be destroyed when being eaten, with rounded rice, the taste of rice will taste more savory. When rounding rice, he usually smacks his hands with 'savory oil', aka coconut oil.
Melan is only open five days a week. Every Friday and Monday he will take a day off. However, there are still neighbors and relatives who replace their shanties so that Penggel Rice will be available every day. His native area, namely Gunungsari Hamlet, Karangpoh Village, Pejagoan District, is known as the origin of Penggel Rice sellers. In addition to Tembana, Gunungsari people also sell Penggel Rice in several locations throughout Kebumen, such as in Mertokondo Market and Kebumen Square.
Melan is the third generation of sellers of Penggel Rice. He inherited directly the original Penggel Rice recipe from his grandfather, Mbah Darnuji, which was then passed down to his mother, Biyung Marwiyah. Interestingly, in the family of Mbah Darnuji, only Marwiyah from her sons and daughters can cook delicious Penggel Rice. From the descendants of Maryati, also only Melan is capable of making Penggel Rice. Even so, this cooking recipe is open to be taught to anyone who wants to sell Penggel Rice.
"In the past, the selling of Penggel Rice was sold around Tumenggungan Market, Kebumen. Because it is old and only close to Tembana, ”said Melan, remembering the story of selling the Penggel rice starting in the 1940s.
Every day, Melan consumes at least 15 kg or if it is busy up to 20 kg of rice. He can also sell hundreds of Penggel Rice. Per Penggel rice complete with vegetables and side dishes with tempeh mendoan and hot tea is sold for 13,000 IDR. From this simple sale, he can get a decent income. He said enough to blow up the kitchen and send his three children to school.
Location:
Penggel Rice was found to be the most delicious at its center in Gunungsari Hamlet, Pejagoan Village, Pejagoan District, Kebumen. From Kebumen Square, head towards the Luk Ulo Tembana Bridge (go north then turn left and stay straight from the Mertokondo Market crossing). Not far from the bridge, there is a T-junction and turn left. There is the Penggel Rice area where there are several traders who open from 05.30 - 08.30 am. Penggel Rice Centers can be found with the coordinates of the location at -7.667833, 109.641112. (Iqbal Kautsar)
*This article is the winner of Visit Jawa Tengah Blog Contest 2015 #3
