Introducing Plant-Based Food through Indonesian Traditional Dish
“Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity.”
Why do you search a thousand miles away when the place you grew up has been providing you a lot of plant-based dishes?
Taman Laksa (Laksa Garden) in Tangerang City
I grew up in Tangerang City, which is located in Banten Province (formerly named West Java) and has a lot of local wisdom. The city is multiethnic, which influences the local foods. I could say that it is very easy being vegan in Tangerang since we have a habit of eating only tofu, tempeh, sambal, and raw vegetables, which we call lalapan. But when we search for specific local dishes in Tangerang, we will find Laksa as the number one, and we will meet more than hundreds of Laksa vendors here. Being viewed as comforting and local street food, our government creates a designated area called Taman Laksa (Laksa Garden) to support and preserve our food culture.
What is Laksa?
Chef Adelia Putri with veganized Laksa
Laksa is a spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawns, or fish. Most variations of laksa are prepared with a rich and spicy coconut curry soup. When we hear about Laksa, where do our thoughts wander? Singaporean Laksa may come first.
According to The Jakarta Post in an article titled Weekly 5: Delicacies of Tangerang 'peranakan', Tangerang Laksa has main ingredients such as chicken stock, mung beans, potatoes, and chives. So, when we switch the stock with vegetables or mushroom stock, this easily becomes vegan food without taking out any identity. The most unique ingredient is the noodles. Tangerang Laksa uses handmade noodles made from the flour of boiled white rice that produces a chewy texture. How satisfying!
Introducing plant-based food at Indonesia Fellowship Program
Veganized Laksa and Dharma Putra Senior High School students
Having this idea, on 10 May 2024, we introduced vegan Tangerang Laksa to Dharma Putra Senior High School students in Tangerang through our one-day fellowship program. They not only learned about food but also acquired soft skills that will help them face the future challenges.
In collaboration with one of our fellow chefs, Adelia Putri, we taught the students how to cook Tangerang Laksa compassionately. The ingredients are rice vermicelli, mushroom, potato, rice cracker, chives, tofu, coconut milk, and of course Indonesian spices. With this knowledge, every participant just realized the only thing that makes the food cannot be called vegan is chicken stock, which is easily replaced!
One-day fellowship program at Dharma Putra Senior High School
Through our program, we hope young people can cherish their culture without taking away its value. They will be proud Tangerang citizens, enjoying veganized Laksa with an educated mind and a compassionate heart for the animals and the world.
Follow @animalallianceasia.id for more updates!
Thank you Evelyn Halim for the amazing Indonesia Fellowship Photos :)
