Depik Belacan; Typical Processed Side of Lake Lut Tawar
Depik belacan, food or side dishes typical Gayo known as the heritage of Urang Gayo ancestors settled on the shores of Lake Lut Tawar, Takengon District of Central Aceh. One of the many creativity inherited by the predecessor by processing endemic fish inhabitant of lake Lut Tawar, Depik (Rasbora Tawarensis) so that more durable as side dish of staple food, rice.
Depik is captured in various ways such as doran or gillnet, lift net or captured in Didisen built with a number of equipment such as Segapa (a kind of bubu) installed by the flow of water into the lake.
Previously, the population of Depik fish in the lake of Gayo people's pride in Central Aceh district is very abundant, especially during Depik season which is usually characterized by very bad weather, strong winds, the wave of the lake is higher than usual and also the rain, of course the temperature is very cold.
The newly captured fish is processed into a side dish with a variety of unique ways such as Dish and Dedah that are instantly ready to eat with rice. There is also with the fried and baked.
However, if the catch is very abundant would require the process to be more durable and with the aim to increase the selling price of ordinary fish Depik in Pekasam (process perasuk), dried and some are processed into "belacan".
Creating Depik Belacan
Processing fish Depik become belacan, explained Nurhajaty (58), housewife Kemili Takengon citizen who claimed when his father was alive had had Didisen and his mother often make belacan.
First Depik fish dried under the sun (recipe for 1 can or equivalent to 10 bamboo fish Depik). Then pounded with wooden dimples, but not to be a fine powder.
Prepared spices in the form of galangal as much as 5 pounds, turmeric and a quarter kilogram of salt a quarter of pounds or sufficiently. This spice is mashed with ground, not too soft too. Then boiled until the water is boiling.
Seasoning then removed and inserted a certain container and then stirred with fish that has been pounded Depik, Stir until evenly mixed between the mashed Depict with the seasoning.
The results of this mixture is inserted into the Lenge which is a container of round bamboo and immediately closed tightly. Make sure the mortar is cool when inserted into Lenge. After one week in the squad, Belacan Depik can already be enjoyed with rice baked first.
Belacan is also often used as sauce by housewives in Gayo with regular chilli sauce, chili, tomato, onion and others.
The scent that invites the taste will soon burst when the belacan start touched hot grill or touch hot cooking oil.
If belacan Depik is marketed, usually packed again with banana leaves but now there is also packed with modern materials made of plastic.
Belacan depots can be found in traditional markets in Takengon, usually priced at Rp.10.000, - per ounce and packed with banana leaves the size of a big toe in bandrol Rp.1.000, - or Rp.2.000, - per pack.
Depik belacan whose physical color is dark green is included as a favorite meal for the Gayo community and always missed by Urang Gayo is monitored.