Trip to Semarang (2) : Pasar Gg.Baru + {recipe} Bolang-Baling

My husband and children like call me 'a market lady'.
Some friends call me 'a market photographer'...hahaha. Hmmm fine.
One thing for sure that cannot be changed; I do like to visit traditional markets. It always turns to an exciting and memorable journey. I always find something new, to see and to buy.
...and later on, visiting a local traditional market has become a part of our travelling journey.
Then, soon I'll call my family as 'a market family'.

Continuing my posting 'Trip to Semarang (1)', now let me share about one place in Semarang China Town that I visited during our trip in October 2011 *what a long delay* which gives me a beautiful memory about how interesting a traditional market is.



Actually, traditional market can be found in every villages, towns and cities in Indonesia. For generations to generations, Indonesians get their daily food in traditional markets. Here, traditional market can be just a temporary structure, the one that we like to call as Pasar Kaget (Surprising Market), and only open at certain time. Oooh this reminds me to the unique Pasar Punclut in North Bandung.
Other than that, we are also familiar with market in permanent buildings which could be small, medium or multistory structures like Pasar Badung, in Denpasar.



Looking from the pictures above, you may easily guess that this market falls into the first category,... yes, the temporary market, or "surprising market"!

Located in a narrow Gang Baru (which means New Alley) in Semarang China Town, paralleled with the famous Jl.Beteng (where Jewelry shops are located) and Gang Belakang (means Back Alley).
The ideal time to visit this market is between 6am to 10am. That is the time when most of the sellers already set up their 'shop' on spot. After 10am, most of the shops are closed.





The items that are sold in traditional market, basically are the same. From fruits and vegetables, meats, chicken, seafood (and the innards), spices, dry goods to the households. The things that make them unique and different with other market is the items that sold to serve the ethnic group that live nearby the market. Or I can say that the location of the market contributes to uniqueness of the market activities.





As I wrote before that this market is located at the China Town. Then, it'll be clear that this market serves its neighbor, the Chinese community. From Chinese spices, food ingredients, various types of Chinese food to the Chinese praying materials are available here.







For me personally, it's always interesting to enter, to explore, to see all aspects in every traditional market. I enjoy to see the merchandises, I like to watch how people interact with others, the bargaining, the velocity of the money, ...all in one place.

Interesting to know about Pasar Gang Baru:
* Don't try to find a gate or signage of this market. Just go through the narrow Gang Baru, you'll find the market. You can enter from Jl. Wot Gandul or Gang Warung.
* This market selling lots of Indonesian daily needs, not only everything that related with Chinese food or their needs. Fresh food ingredients, spices, and also delicious traditional Javanese Food are available here.
* Porters... Like others big traditional market, porters are ready to help you in this 'surprising market'...and all of them are women. They carried a big rattan basket on their back, and will follow their customer doing their shopping.
* Long time ago, this market was known as 'pork market', because this is the only place where people can sell and buy pork in Semarang.
* On the late afternoon, ... Gang Baru will look like other road in that neighborhood. Car or other small vehicles can pass the road. Don't try to find the market after 12 o'clock noon.



After about more than one hour walking back and forth through this alley, I decided to have a good energy booster. I chose to enjoy Cendol that served with Jack Fruit and Durian. It's iced drink made from palm sugar syrup, coconut milk and fragments of green-colored rice flour dough with jelly texture.
Very refreshing.





I left the market with full-charged energy, and continued my afternoon walking journey exploring the exotic Semarang China Town.
Check the story on the Semarang trip episode 1 here.

As a closing of this posting, let me share the recipe of Bolang-Baling.
Hhmmm probably for some people the name sounds funny and unique.

The idea to make home made Bolang-Baling came after I found some Bolang-Baling were sold in Pasar Gang Baru. It was sold inside a glass box behind a bicycle.

Bolang-Baling, actually is a fried bread, like donut. It has rectangular shape, puffy, and also some people like to call 'Roti Bantal' or Pillow Bread. This bread is popular in Semarang, and some other places in Java.

Originally, one of the important ingredients to make Bolang-Baling is ammonia. I'll not talk about this ingredient, but I'm not really familiar to use this ingredient in my kitchen, so I'm looking for other recipe that not using ammonia. Luckily, I got one from Femina Indonesia Magazine. 

If you are interested to make this bread, please be aware about the fermentation time that takes about 3 hours. So don't start to make it if you don't want to spare time and can't continue all that process.

Bolang Baling
source : Femina Indonesia Magazine

Bahan / Ingredients :
1 sdt ragi instan / 1 tsp instant dry yeast
560 gr tepung terigu untuk roti *protein tinggi* / 560 gr bread flour (high protein flour)
50 gr tepung terigu serba guna *protein sedang*/ 50 gr all purpose flour (medium protein flour)
130 gr gula pasir / 130 gr sugar
1 sdt soda kue / 1 tsp baking soda
1 sdm susu bubuk / 1 tbsp milk powder
1 butir telur ayam / 1 egg
1 sdm mentega putih, lelehkan / 1 tbsp white butter, melted
1/2 sdt garam / 1/2 tsp salt
250 air hangat / 250 luke warm water
Minyak untuk menggoreng / Cooking oil for frying

Cara Membuat : 

* Aduk ragi bersama terigu berprotein tinggi, terigu berprotein sedang, gula pasir, soda kue dan susu bubuk hingga rata.

* masukkan telur dan mentega, aduk dengan ujung jari hingga adonan berbutir-butir. 

* Tambahkan garam, aduk kembali hingga rata. Tuangi air sedikit-sedikit sambil aduk hingga rata.

* Uleni adonan hingga kalis dan elastis. Istirahatkan selama 3 jam. Sisihkan.

* Giling adonan setebal 1/2 cm. Potong ukuran 7x5 cm. Istirahatkan kembali adonan selama 10 menit, sisihkan.

* Goreng adonan dalam minyak banyak dan hangat di atas api kecil hingga kecoklatan. Balikkan adonan, goreng kembali hingga matang. Angkat, tiriskan.

How to make:

* Stir yeast with bread flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking soda and powdered milk until blended.

* Add eggs and butter, stirring with fingertips until mixture grainy.

* Add salt, stir again until blended. Pour a bit water while stirring until blended.

* Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Rest for 3 hours. Set aside.

* Flatten using rolling pin to 1/2 cm thick dough. Cut to size 7x5 cm. Rest the dough again for 10 minutes, set aside.

* Deep fry the dough using lots and warm oil over low heat until browned. Turn the dough, fry again until cooked. Remove and drain.

Direction to Pasar Gang Baru, Semarang :