Indonesian Delicacies Part Four--Abon

What is abon, you might ask? Most Indonesians are quite familiar with it, but I think it's not really known worldwide. Abon is processed meat, usually made of beef, chicken, or fish. It can be stored for months, even years (if you some food preservatives). Usually Indonesians use it to top their meals, like porridge, steamed rice, even bread. Abon might taste sweet to spicy, yet one thing remains for sure, it is quite tasty.

It takes quite a while to make abon. According to Desak Nyoman, founder and owner of Abon Kenanga, it takes hours to make abon. At first you boil the meat for about two hours until it's tender. Then you tear the meat to tiny pieces, carefully removing the remaining bones. Mix some blended herbs and spices (coriander, garlic, shallot, salt, lengkuas (Alpinia galanga, some kind of ginger root), salam (bay leaf), turmeric, sugar, broth) and then sautee the condiment using medium heat. Add the meat then fry it, medium heat, for about one hour. (for 2,5 kgs of meat) When it is done, use some kind of filter to remove the excess oil, press it with a spoon. Stir with a spoon, and it is done! The whole process takes about 6 hours.

I tried some products from Abon Kenanga and they hook yours truly (including my family and kids). This abon is crunchy and tasty, and the most important thing, it does not use any preservatives.

If you happen to be in Jogjakarta, you can visit this home industry at:
Jalan Solo Km 9
Gg. Kenanga 235
(in front of Adisucipto Airport)

You can stay at a nearby hotel for a more comfortable visit.

You can also order the abon online...
dk_dessaque@yahoo.co.id