'Kerupuk' anyone?
'Kerupuk' anyone?
When it comes to the crunch, you can't beat the big taste of
kerupuk (flavored flour crackers) -- a popular snack eaten
throughout the country. The ones prepared here are made in a
small shop-house factory in South Bandung.
The factory employs 20 workers and produces an impressive five
tons of the crisp seafood-flavored snacks every day, which are
distributed across Bandung and its surrounding areas.
The owners boast that their product is no less tasty than the
famous snacks produced in Palembang, South Sumatra.
Small-scale cottage industries, like the Bandung factory, have
successfully weathered the economic crisis and often helped to
scoop up workers laid off from larger industries.
The government has promised to assist these industries with
soft loans and other facilities. However, it seems that these
schemes are not always what they are cracked up to be, with many
entrepreneurs saying they still face difficulties accessing the
funds -- Text and photos by R. Berto Wedhatama.
Photo A: Kerupuk
JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
A worker pours water into a blend of wheat flour and cornstarch.
More flour made with ground dried fish is added to give the
characteristic seafood flavor.
Photo B: Kerupuk
JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
The blend is put into a simple device to make noodle-like dough,
which is then randomly rotated to make intertwined spiral shapes.
Photo C: Kerupuk
JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
The spiral dough is then cut into smaller pieces using a small
round cake cutter.
Photo D: Kerupuk
JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
The small pieces of dough are then dried under scorching
sunlight. Usually, this process takes about three days.
Photo E: Kerupuk
JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
The crackers are then fried twice. The second frying process uses
a hotter frying oil to ensure the crispness of the chips.
Photo F: Kerupuk
JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
Shortly after the frying process the crackers are drained.
Photo G: Kerupuk
JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
Finally, they are put into plastic bag and are ready for
marketing.