In search of that authentic Manado taste

Claudine Frederick, Contributor, Jakarta

Cuisine from Manado has become a household word among Jakartans, especially over the last three years, finally earning a place alongside Padang food that is so popular throughout Indonesia.

For decades food from this region has dominated the taste buds of the average Indonesian. That is now no longer the case. A new, more adventurous generation craving new experiences has moved onto the scene.

No longer will their choices be limited to the ubiquitous nasi Padang, or gado-gado or nasi Rames. Eating habits have expanded and developed far from the shores of Minahasa, venturing out as far as Japan, Korea, Italy and the USA, if the number of eateries representing cuisine from these countries in Jakarta can be taken as a measure.

Less than a month ago, a new restaurant serving food from Minahasa opened its glass doors for Jakarta gourmands, whose search for new culinary experiences seems insatiable.

Operating under the name "Celebes", the restaurant has a modern ambience, filled with black furniture with straight, austere lines.

On first impressions, one would expect such a place to be serving Western food rather than ikan woku (fish simmered in herbs), or ayam di bulu (chicken cooked in bamboo).

As the place claims to serve dishes only from Manado, except for a few from Ternate, which happens to be part of the Moluccas, I expected to meet someone from that region who could provide me with some answers concerning the ingredients being used. Unlike food from Java and Sumatra, food from Manado has been strongly influenced by Portuguese food.

Javanese and Sumateran cuisine were strongly influenced by the Indians when they held the reins of power in the Hindu era many centuries ago.

Generous use of tomatoes, small chilies and herbal ingredients are the signatures of most dishes from these regions. The only root herbs used in the Manadonese kitchen are ginger and turmeric. Dishes from this part of the world are also characterized by the use of local celery, coriander, the leaves of a certain variety of lemon, mint leaves, lemon grass, spring onion, shallots and basil.

But alas, I experienced a little disappointment in my search for authentic Manadonese food when Gugun, who works there, revealed that his knowledge of ingredients from this region was, at best, skimpy.

Thus, I was forced to exercise my own palate and taste buds to find out what ingredients this eating house used in their dishes. Now, many people may think that this isn't that important. Well, I feel it is.

Recently, voices have been raised in the Minahasan community over the taste of their regional food as served in newly opened Manadonese restaurants. Most women agree that they often have problems finding the authentic taste of ikan rica-rica (grilled fish in chili sauce) for instance.

Most Manadonese eateries have tempered their use of lemon juice in the chili sauce. They have also added another ingredient, sugar, in ladles, which simply kills the authentic taste of the dish.

It is said that restaurant owners have resorted to this practice to please local customers. In Javanese food, sugar is an important ingredient.

Gugun presented me with the house menu, an impressive list in which chicken and fish dishes occupied center place. Prices of dishes ranged from Rp 6,000 to Rp 26,000, which, considering prices at other restaurants, could be considered reasonable.

An opening discount of 20 percent is currently being offered. Sad to say, however, the discount could not sweeten my second disappointment after trying the kidney bean soup and a dish of kangkung (swamp cabbage) that I ordered. The soup was much too watery, although the taste was not all that bad.

Kidney bean soup is usually prepared by cooking the beans until they have become very soft, and the soup has thickened as a broth. It takes hours of cooking on a conventional stove to get it to such a consistency.

Microwave ovens can be do it in just minutes. The soup was generously strewn with large slices of onion -- instead of shallots -- and small pieces of chicken.

The third disappointment was the swamp cabbage. I expected a stir-fried dish made with sliced shallots, red chili and lots of tomatoes and spring onion. But, what came to the table was a stir-fried dish of swamp cabbage mixed with sweet corn. I could not detect any of the regular ingredients used in this very common dish.

Prepared in the way I had just sampled, it could have been any stir-fried dish in garlic and more than likely sprinkled with some "food enhancer". Again, it was a far cry from the real thing.

Celebes enjoys good patronage at lunchtime with the place being filled with people from nearby offices.

Overhearing the table next to me order tintuan (Manadonese vegetable broth), I could not help thinking what a pity it would be if the dish, with its Manadonese title, was considered authentic by those who did not know any better.