JANENG or boh janeng may be unfamiliar in the ears of some people of Aceh, especially the younger generation. Tubers with Latin name Dioscorea Hispida is said to be an alternative food of the ancestors during the war. With simple tools and spices, boh janeng used to be served with boiled or made porridge. The solution to solve the indonesian hunger when rice, sago, and corn are hard to come by.
Now, janeng can be consumed in a way that is more interesting and more delicious. Is the Environment and Forestry Agency (DLHK) Aceh who initiated to process the janeng become a variant of delicious food. As if to emphasize that the previously dismissed janeng has now risen caste and become a food that can be processed into fried noodles, pancakes, cup cakes, even a tempting pizza.
DLHK Aceh held 'Janeng Cooking Contest' at the office yard, Sunday (20/3). The event was followed by 16 groups, in which each group consisted of two people. Like professional chefs, the participants who come from various districts / cities in Aceh was wearing a matching apron with his partner. They act with full equipment while showing the expertise of processing dried jelly into a delicious meal.
The committee also brought in five culinary juries to assess the participants' creations. They are lecturers of Unsyiah Agriculture Ir Gina Erida MSi, Agro Technology expert Dr. Rita Hayati MSi, Ir Chadijah Hasan from PKK Provinsi, and two lecturers of Unsyiah Culinary, Dra Indani MSi and Laili MSi. Participants are given two hours to process the janeng while the jury has 30 minutes to decide who the champion.
Chairman of the jury, Ir Gina Erida MSi when reading the assessment judgment said, the creation of Pizza Janeng by Cut Herlita and Rita Murtian from Banda Aceh won first prize in the competition. While the Turkish-style Salapa made from Budi Mulia creations and Chairul Amni from Aceh Besar won second place. The third winner was Zahraini and Nurlaili from Aceh Besar with Janeng Gulung creations. The jury's decision was welcomed by the audience. The winners are entitled to trophies and coaching money from DLHK Aceh.
Head of Environment and Forestry Agency (DLHK) Aceh, Ir Husaini Syama'un who opened the activity said, this competition is a place to create new innovations in processing janeng to exist in this era. According to him, the food of Acehnese ancestors need to be preserved with new recipes to be accepted by all circles.
"Since our ancestors, janeng has become a daily food that is processed in a simple way. Now with the presence of innovative processing of janeng, this product can be more tasty and economically valuable, "said Husaini. According to him, janeng is a tuber growing under protected forest. Therefore, janeng one of the good barometer-not a forest.
In addition, added Husaini, janeng is the last food reserves when rice, sago, and corn are in crisis. It is said, it is not impossible to forward the janeng can replace rice as staple food of the people of Aceh. "Climate change and development can make rice and corn rare in the future. With the re-empowered janeng, we hope to avoid the food crisis, "he said while calling the potential janeng exist in Aceh Besar, Pidie, Aceh Jaya, Aceh Tenggara, and Aceh Singkil.
Drunk janeng
Chairman of the Committee, Muhammad Daud who is also Head of Forest Park Pocut Meurah Intan said, his party appreciates the enthusiasm of participants from all over Aceh to follow these activities. Of the 54 teams that signed up, the committee chose 16 of the best to follow the competition at DLHK Aceh. "The three best teams are entitled to showcase his work at DLHK Aceh booth at Penas KTNA in the future," he said.
According to Daud, janeng is the last food reserve that needs to be preserved. But to process it into food, people must be more careful not to 'drunk'. "It contains poison that makes us drunk. In order to be consumed safely, janeng must be washed in running water, then thinly chopped, and dried in the sun to dry, "he said, saying that way has been practiced since the first by the Indies, so that the spiny tubers can be enjoyed up to the grandchildren. (eddy fitriady)