IS THERE ANY RELATION BETWEEN SUBMARINE AND PEMPEK?

For those who love Pempek, most of you are confused to know why this food is called as Submarine. Pempek Submarine is the kind of food that looks like a pocket and inside it, you can see an egg as the stuff. However, what is the relation between Submarine and Pempek? Pempek Kapal Selam or Pempek Submarine is relatively the new name for this food. People who live in Palembang back then called this food as Pempek Telok Besak. Meanwhile, the origin of the name has relation with the cooking process.

When Pempek is boiled into the pan with hot water inside, Pempek is sinking just like the Submarine. When Pempek is sinking, the form is much bigger just like Submarine and that is why, people name it as Pempek Kapal Selam. Well actually, there is no another connection between real Submarine and the Pempek itself. It has no iron inside since Pempek is made of fish. Compared to other types of Pempek, this Pempek Submarine has the biggest size because this is the only type that has filling inside which is an egg.

It is no wondering at all that people search for this type most compared to other Pempek types. Since it has filling inside, the price of Pempek Submarine is more expensive than other types but it is known as the most delicious among all types of Pempek in Palembang, South Sumatera. However, behind the deliciousness of Pempek Submarine, it needs high accuracy to make it because you have to make sure that the egg inside the pocket of dough doesn’t come out or break when this Pempek is boiled.

The filling is raw so it needs to keep the original form of the filling and don’t break it. The form of dough will be sealed using certain ways to make the filling safe. If the dough is too thin and it is not sealed completely, then the filling will leak and it goes out of the dough. It means, Pempek is failed to make. That is why, the maker of this food must be skillful and they need to have more experience to they will not fail when making it. The dough will not be boiled all but still in the raw versions.

When there are costumers who want to eat, the seller will boil it or sometimes, they may fry it and covered by the broth so the people can enjoy it. The egg filling will be cooked to perfection when it is made in good way so you can eat it in good manner. Beside Pempek Submarine, there are many types of Pempek such as Pempek Lenggang, Pempek Tunu, Pempek Sang Kerupuk, Pempek Tahu, Pempek Pistel, Pempek Lenjer, Pempek Telok and more.