Nutty

Keluak, kluwak, kluwek, keluwek or kloewak. However you spell it, the meaty, nut-like seeds of the kepayang tree are an unpleasant treat if eaten right from the branch. But once soaked, boiled and fermented to remove toxic acid, the seeds are tamed, and take on a rich chocolate color and a creamy texture. Often referred to as black nuts, fermented kluwak seeds add a rich earthiness and a creamy texture to stews. They are also used to lend a nutty overtone to buah keluak pork and are a key ingredient in the spiced chicken dish known as ayam buah keluak. You are in for a rich and hearty treat if Wakatobi’s chefs simmer up a batch of Nasi Rawon, which is a rich kluwak beef stew garnished with green onion and fried shallot, and served with herb-infused rice and a side of sambal chili sauce.

Sweet

In Indonesian cooking, sugar is not just used to satisfy a sweet tooth. And instead of the white stuff known round the world, Wakatobi’s chefs often turn to palm sugar. As the name suggests, this sweetener is harvested from palm trees, and boiled down into caramel-colored lumps which have a flavor similar to brown sugar and molasses, but with a richer and smokier note.

Wakatobi’s pastry chefs create some of the most enticing items on the table. Photo by Didi Lotze

Our chefs tell us they use palm sugar often to mitigate the spiciness of curries and sauces, taming heat into a sweeter and more palatable taste that is easier on the palate. But since dessert is enjoyed every bit as much in Indonesia as any other part of the world, palm sugar is also pressed into sweetening service for traditional favorite such as Onde Onde, which is sticky rice balls mixed with palm sugar.

Onde Onde is another traditional favorite made with sticky rice and palm sugar. Photo by Marco Fierli, marcof8.com

Another regional treat you might see on the dessert table at Wakatobi is Sarikayo Gula Merah, which is a custard made with palm sugar and coconut milk. “My wife and I are accomplished cooks, and we live in an area many say is one of the great meccas of food–San Francisco,” says guest Peter Jones. Wakatobi’s cuisine was fantastic, and the variety enchanting. We especially appreciated that the chefs served local Indonesian cuisine, and the desserts were over the top.”

These are just a sampling of the many culinary delights that await diners at Wakatobi Resort. Come join us, and after working up an appetite on the beach or in the water, you’ll be ready to put your taste buds to the test and explore these and many other unique flavors of Indonesia.

Email us at office@wakatobi.com or complete a quick trip inquiry at wakatobi.com.

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