PEUYEUM : Hard to Say IT, Easy to Taste IT

So many variety of unique Sundanese culinary flavor in Bandung which you can get. One of them is PEUYEUM (sweet-fermented-cassava). Wow …. how do I say it in English?! Hmmmm …..It’s quite hard to pronounce it for non-Sundanese tongue. But it isn’t hard to taste the unique-sweet flavor of this traditional cuisine, that has became an iconic delicacy in Bandung.

Bandung is famous for a variety of foods. From the traditional to modern. However, peuyeum remains among the specialties which remain to be an excellent and unique Bandung’s culinary. Actually, there are 2 kinds of peuyeum : cassava-peuyeum and glutionous-rice peuyeum (peuyeum ketan, ind). But, in this article I’m gonna share with you, the recipe of  making cassava-peuyeum first (later, might be glutinous-rice peuyeum). How to make?

Material :
– Cassava is peeled, washed and cut according to taste.
– Yeast, which had been crushed until soft.
Other Equipment :
– containers / baskets made of woven bamboo,
– Banana leaves, a few sheets,
Method:
– Cassava boiled 2 times / 2 phases. First phase, boiled 1.5 hours, remove and drain. The second phase, boil 1 hour, remove and drain. Then, save it in the open and shady place, which has been covered with banana leaves. Let stand for a moment.
– Smear the cassava to yeast. Let stand for a moment.
– Lift and store the cassava into the container / bamboo basket (which has been covered with banana leaves) until it is full and dense. Cover them with banana leaves.
– Then close the basket with cloth tightly. Store in a cool place, 1-3 days.
– Peuyeum ready to served.

Actually, there are two techniques to make cassava-peuyeum, 1) Wet technique: where peuyeum somewhat soft and sweet, 2) dry technique: peuyeum dry and tasty, and usually, traders sell it by hang it in their stalls, without experiencing damage. Therefore, known as “hanging-peuyeum” (peuyeum gantung, ind). Hanging-peuyeum popular in Purwakarta and Subang (North Priangan).

Peuyeum, the food is cheap, but it could become a culinary icon of Bandung, and also helped support the economy of the people.  Because in addition to easily obtain raw materials, it’s easy to process them as well. Besides, not too big of capital needed to start this business. Hopefully for those of you who want to try the recipe to make cassava-peuyeum, except for your own consumption, could also be a “path ” of your business, if it will work on and engaged professionally, who knows, will gain huge profits! : D

In the next article, I’ll share some stories, and recipes, about food made from peuyeum! Just wait for it! 🙂