Exotic Mixed Rice Cake of Glenmore

Jakarta - Some people were seen enjoying their meal in a food stall at the Glenmore market while two other people waiting in queue to be served. 

A middle-aged woman looked busy serving lontong (rice cake) on the plate and then pouring paste and broth into the dish. A fresh aroma that pervaded the atmosphere and the red-yellowish broth were making the dish more tempting to be eaten.
 
The dish is called lontong campur (mixed lontong) and it can only found in Glenmore, Banyuwangi, East Java province. Glenmore is a small unique town located in the western part of Banyuwangi. Unique because it is the only town in Indonesia having a European-styled name. Legend says that in the past, Glenmore had a good relationship with European, especially the Scottish.

Glenmore population is quite heterogeneous although the Madurese (people from Madura island) are dominating the town. The culture of Madurese migrants had merged with the Javanese culture of Glenmore natives, creating an old quote of pandhulangan which means "big pot". The pandhulangan philosophy has the similar concept with American saying 'the melting pot', which means the unison of several ethnics.

However, the Madurese are said to preserve most of their culture including traditions, art and culinary. Lontong campur dish is said to be originated from Madura Island. The hunt for original lontong campur has brought our team to a food stall in Glenmore market owned by Kiptiyah.

"Lontong Campur is indeed originated from Madura Island, my mother, Samsuni, was the first who sold the dish. However the dish in Glenmore is different from lontong campur in Madura because it was adjusted with the local flavor," Kiptiyah said.

Initially, Samsuni had served the dish for Madurese migrants around Glenmore traditional market. However, people from other ethnic such as Javanese, Chinese and Arabic started to became the fans of the dish. Rumors also said that even Glenmore residents who are living away from their hometown would come back to the town just to enjoy the dish.

Today, there are several lontong campur stalls in Glenmore market, but after years of lontong campur adventure, the one owned by Kiptiyah has the most preserved original taste. To enjoy the exotic dish, we only need to pay Rp5000 for standard portion and Rp7,000  for special portion.

Glenmore lontong campur is suitable to be eaten in any kind of mood time and weather. The dish is suitable for casual and formal dinner. The main ingredients of the broth are shallots, garlic, scallion, kecengal, ginger, cloves, pepper and chili pepper that plus minced beef. The dish is then served with vermicelli and rice cake. Sometimes, the seller would add fried peanuts with chili and Madurese paste (made of sea fishes).

Source : Tempo