Traditional production of cooking oil revived<\/p>\n
By Agus Maryono and Ngudi Utomo<\/p>\n
PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Many people have shed tears
\nduring the current economic turmoil as they can no longer afford
\nto buy staple foods and other basic needs.<\/p>\n
Prices have not only doubled, they have tripled, or even
\nquintupled. Cooking oil, for example, which was available at Rp
\n1,800 per kilogram, now costs about Rp 6,000.<\/p>\n
It has been recommended that people reduce their consumption
\nof cooking oil by steaming or baking food. But it is hard for
\npeople to adopt the new habit, especially if one is used to
\neating foods such as fried soybean cake and salty fish.<\/p>\n
As for many villagers in Sunyalangu, Rawalo and Sumbang, in
\nBanyumas regency, the current economic conditions have inspired
\nthem go back to basics, by making their own traditional cooking
\noil.<\/p>\n
Producing traditional cooking oil is not an easy task. It
\ntakes at least four days to make and the process is painstaking
\nand risky, as your fingers can get cut by the coconut-scrapers.
\nBut these residents are willing to take the risk to save money.<\/p>\n
The process of making traditional cooking oil reminds
\nresidents of life 15 years ago, before they could buy branded
\ncooking oil in the market. Banyumas residents call this process
\nmiwir.<\/p>\n
Saminah, a 38-year-old villager, said that she decided to try
\nmaking the cooking oil traditionally to save money. But she added
\nthat she had to consider it carefully because the coconuts have
\nalso become quite expensive.<\/p>\n
One coconut costs about Rp 500 and she needs 10 coconuts to
\nproduce a kilogram of cooking oil.<\/p>\n
The production of cooking oil starts with peeling the coconut.
\nThe meat is then soaked in the water for two days. Then the
\ncoconuts are grated and later dried in the sun.<\/p>\n
The drying process generally takes six hours under full
\nsunlight, until the coconut turns a reddish brown color.<\/p>\n
\"We know it is ready if the coconut produces some oil when we
\nsqueeze it a bit,\" Saminah said.<\/p>\n
The reddish brown coconut pulp is then ready to be processed
\ninto cooking oil. To receive maximum results, people have to wait
\nfor some time before starting the work. The dried pulp is placed
\nin buckets or containers and after about two hours becomes
\nsofter. \"After that, all you have to do is wring it with your
\nhands and there, you have the oil,\" said Khasanah, a 40-year-old
\nwoman who is also a traditional cooking oil maker.<\/p>\n
\"Squeezing it with your hands is the easiest way, but if
\nyou're not used to the odor... you'll probably be sick,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
After squeezing the pulp with the hands, people use a device
\ncalled pantongan made from the wood of coconut trees to press and
\ndrain the oil out of the pulp. During this process, most of the
\nwork is done by men, as they usually have more strength than the
\nwomen. They put the coconut pulp in a sack and press it with the
\ndevice until the oil drains out.<\/p>\n
The coconut pulp waste, known as bungkil is still useful.
\nDuring the colonial era, locals used eat it as a snack, but after
\nIndonesia gained independence and things improved, they fed it
\nbungkil to the cattle or the fish. But now, once again, many of
\nthe people fry and eat it.<\/p>\n
\"What else are we supposed to do? Even salty fish is expensive
\nthese days,\" said Sukinah.<\/p>\n
People also used to make a kind of soybean cake called tempe
\nbongkrek from bungkil, but a few years ago, it was banned by the
\nprovincial administration following a number of cases of
\npoisoning.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/traditional-production-of-cooking-oil-revived-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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