'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.