Jalan~Jalan Naik Motor

We went to Brantas River which is just 5 km away from home. It's the longest river in East Java....and it used to be my playground, too.

Afterwards....we had a light?? Dinner.

Soto Branggahan...as it's called in that area.

We had fun. Right, Eyra?

*edisi naik motor jln jln di Kediri.

Soto Branggahan: 3rd Day of Ramadan

What would a visit to Kediri without having to sample the famous Soto Branggahan (Branggahan village's own chicken soup made of coconut milk). Anyway...that's what it is. 

There are a lot of vendors selling Soto Branggahan and since it's Ramadan...there were long queues since it's the breaking the fast time.  

People came from all ages ..irrespective of their social status...with one thing in common:  

Their love for Soto,

The seller was preparing Soto one person at a time. 

and we're waiting... 

As for side-dish, we could choose from so many available on the table: eggs, stir fried mashed potatoes, etc. 

Since there were no enough seat inside, some of us were sitting outside. 

haha...At first Seonhee kind of shocked to find chicken soup in coconut milk...but...to her own surprise..she ate more than one bowl... 

Dada....we did it. I mean..we had our 'buka puasa' at Soto Branggahan. 

Mengasikkan memang jika rame-rame. 

Group time....me, Seonhee, my sister, sister-in-law and...their kids or...my nephews and nieces.

All About Food I Encountered Along the Way (From Bogor - Bandung - Jogja - Kediri - Seoul Again)

After spending a 3-hour bus ride from the airport to Bogor, I was so haplessly hungry...and just as I stepped out of the car right in front of home (in Bogor), I smelled irresistible temptation from nasi goreng from a street vendor...^^ Yup, that's one of the utmost happiness of going back home....^^ 

and tempe...yes...yes ..yes..tempe.! plus, Budhe cooked some sayur asem for me to try!

superb!!!! home-made meal!!! 

  

ok..what is it? Oh, this is the fried rice I booked on a train on my trip from Bandung to Jogja.

They made a special vegetarian nasi goreng for me!^^  

Now...in Jogja...the first thing I wanted to have was PIZZA HUT. ㅋㅋㅋ I mean...it's a completely different world since Pizza HUT in Indonesia for Indonesian like me is way more palatable than the one in Korea, of course. ^^ and it's HALAL.^^ 

Still in Jogja....I sampled a long-lost 'friend' called wedhang ronde (a traditional Javanese beverage made of ginger, fermented sticky-rice or glutinous rice-ball, kolang-kaling (gee..I don't know what it is in English), and ground peanuts...well...it sounds so horrible..but not for an average Javanese guy like me...^^ ㅋㅋㅋ 

Then..off I went to my hometown in Kediri, East Java...

The first day..I went to a local market with my Mom. Hmm...devouring myself to the freshness of vegetables.... 

But then...ㅋㅋㅋ....at night..again..I stuck to another temptation of having a pizza. Well..not for me..it's a treat from me to my nieces....^^ ok...a big box of pizza....again...^^ 

Still, in Kediri....I wouldn't have called my going back home a COMPLETE one before sampling the famous SOTO BRANGGAHAN.  

ok..another adventure in devouring myself to all of the street vendor. This one a fresh orange juice. Just for a mere 5,000 Rupiah for each cup, I could quench my thirst. 

oh...gulali....!! I remembered having one of this gulali back then..when I was in my elementary school.

Not..the black one is gulali (a traditional candy made of coconut sugar or we as Javanese call it 'gula Jawa'-Javanese candy).

Oh, the big round ones in front are simply crackers.made from rice-powder.

...and.....another nasi goreng!! oh, the best I had since I stepped my feet in Kediri. 

This one ..thanks to my brother-in-law who insisted me on having a dip into the nasi goreng he liked to eat at Jalan Dhoho (the main thoroughfare in Kediri). Ok..I admitted it. 

 

oh, nanas! pineapples. these ones are called nanas madu 'honey pineapple'. 

Gee..I got to got to climb up Kelud Volcano just to find these fruits. 

Yup..and it's worth it. 

Back home..the 2nd day of Ramadan (I guess), another home-made food. Simple, eh? 

and...oh.. oh ...oh...my Mom bought me a fermented glutinous rice wrapped in a banana leaf. 

yes...it surely had some alcohol in it since it's fermented. zzzzz...ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Gosh...I want to have one again....already. 

ok...it's not something for me since it's mostly made of fish and beef. Yep..abon or beef floss....that my wife asked me to buy for her. ...and..Amplang...a traditional fish-crackers from Kalimantan. The latter is an oleh-oleh (present) from our friend mbak Ulfa (who used to be our neighbor in Seoul before she returned to Indonesia a year ago). 

Back to Jogja..the 5th day of Ramadan.

We're having a breaking-the-fast fiesta at Lombok Ijo (one of the famous Indonesian restaurant chains, in Jogjakarta at least ㅋㅋㅋ). I mean..just look at that..as the name suggested..LOMBOK IJO or green CHILLY....this restaurant serves its signature....SAMBAL or chilly sauce...in traditional way. 

Bon Appetite, Suray. oh..of course, I was not enjoying the chicken, grilled fish etc. Instead....or thank GOD..they have TEMPE and TAHU (tofu) for me to dig in.^^ 

what about this? oh, it's just a simple home-made dish. very humble, right?

my brother-in-law Om DIDIK made the KOLAK (banana mixed in coconut milk)...a kind of dessert or appetizer ....mostly prepared during Ramadan Month. oh, there's ...hmm salad. and tempe again and again. 

Back home to Seoul...dadadaa....Rapukki 라뽁이....hehehe...

savored it with my daughter. 

and..oh...I got a package of fresh PAPRIKA from Gyeongsangbukdo Province...specially delivered by our friend there. 

and...another Ramadan delicacies...a home-made one. None other than 

dawet dan es buah.

Happy Ramadan, Suray.

Soto Branggahan (Agaiiiin)

 

Hmm...the one delicacies in Kediri not to be missed whenever we're back home is none other than Soto Branggahan. Yes..Soto..Branggahan. It's funny that I could savor this even though I do not eat meat. so, what about this chicken soup? yes..as for me..it's soto..but without chicken.^^

funny, eh? and I loooooveee the small sprouts that go with it. 

Mom, Lala, and his Dad, Ricky (my brother-in-law)...

My Dad was at the other corner of the section...as for me....

hmm....too full to be in the picture.^^

#satisfied! fully.

Soto Ayam Branggahan @ Kediri

One of the must-eat dishes in Kediri is Soto Kediri, especially the one in Branggahan area...known for its locally and specially cooked soto--a soup or broth. anyway...

This is Pak Benno's stall: one of the so many famous soto stalls that dot the streets in Kediri. 

Freya and Lala also had their own portion. One bowl each.

The sprouts, the soup, the chilly, the sambal, the ingredients authentic of Kediri were all mixed into a unique combination of flavor that makes up ...Soto Branggahan. 

The green beverage on the picture is dawet. It's a jelly made of glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk and palm sugar. A refreshing dessert on a hot day.^^ 

See the simple stall? Yes, this is Pak Benno's famous Soto Ayam. The locals find this local dish a delicacy. 

My Mom, me and my Daddy. 

We were enjoying our portion of soto.

Soto Branggahan or Soto Kediri

Soto Kediri? I think some people may have heard about it. However, this specialty from Kediri is not that well known as its counterpart, nasi sambal Tumpang. I am not going to talk about the latter, but I am going to talk about this Soto Branggahan.
Every time I go home to my kampong in Kediri, one of the must-to-do items is going on a culinary trip, particularly to take the tasty sip of Soto Branggahan. Yes, I am a vegetarian. But, not that 100%. I can taste this light and tasty coconut oil of this so-called Soto Branggahan. Of course,  I do not eat the chicken, just the soup. It has its unique taste different from any other Soto in other areas. It is so famous that lots and lots of Soto vendors are lining up along 3 km long in Ngadiluwih and Branggahan subdistrict in Kediri, East Java. Everywhere we look, we will encounter on each side of the road, the sellers with its big banner attached or set up in front of the house or tent where the Soto is being sold.
For any passers by who are going through the road, it is likely that they may get enticed by the striking atmosphere of how Soto is being sold as the main culinary of the district.
This time around...of course...we did not let the chance pass us by. We surely got to taste it again. This time around, we went into Soto Pak Munir --one of the three of our favorites. Pak Beno and Pak Sumali being the other two.
The most interesting thing about this culinary venue is how each Soto seller decorates or serves its guest. This one still uses the traditional method of preparing all the stuffs right in front of us so as to make us more eager to eat. Or better yet, it challenges our patience. But, patience pays off here. The Soto is completely different from any other Soto in the country, even Soto Kudus. For me, this particular Soto Branggahan is the best. :) not because it came from my hometown...but simply it is. Try it for yourself....:)
So, just visit Kediri in East Java and go straight to Ngadiluwih and Branggahan road. It lies between the main road that connects Kediri and Tulung Agung district in East Java.