[Indonesia Report] Es Campur, Indonesian summer delicacy

Summer Dishes: Four Season to Tropical Country

Summer, probably is the most commercialized season. As you can see, products are sold with advertisement of a shining summer theme with tan models, bright sunshine and holiday.

But it actually shows the spirit of people welcoming summer, the bright sunny days when they can enjoy outdoor activities. Especially in countries with four seasons, like Seoul, even before the season started, youngsters were talking about their summer holiday and beaches.

Children playing alongside of Han River, Seoul. (Photo : Gabriele Morra)

During summer like this, your eyes are spoiled with beautiful colorful dresses, people going out from home with their summer outfit, wearing sunglasses, and the parks in the city are crowded. Along the Han River, people do a lot of activities under the open air and sunshine. They bike, playing with their children, and enjoying the refreshing red bean ice.

In Korea, during the hottest days of summer, Koreans have a tradition of eating samgyetang. A dish of ginseng chicken soup that is good for health to help them cope with the summer heat.

Samgyetang – Korean traditional ginseng chicken soup dish

Koreans have been enjoying Dog soup or Boshintang in Korean during during hot summer days, especially three-hot days known as Bok Nal or the Dog Days of summer from long time ago.  This might sounds interesting for people from other countries. But every country in the world has its own special food for summer to ease the heat of the sun. You do not have to go that far beyond your culinary expectation to taste the passion of summer.

As Korean has their own red bean shaved iced for summer or patbingsu, Indonesia, a tropical country in South East Asia with only two seasons, which also has its own mixed fruit shaved ice, called Es Campur.You can get Es Campur everywhere in Indonesia for the whole year. You can find people in the street dragging their vendors, selling Es Campur, or you also can find it in a good restaurant.Es Campur is the best desert to boost your energy after a long hot day. This is one of Indonesian’s favorite deserts because it is healthy, delicious, affordable and refreshing.

Patbingsu – Korean red bean ice

Es Campur is easy to make when you have the access to the tropical fruits that are used as its ingredients. To taste summer holiday in a tropical island, you can make your own Es Campur.

What you need is fruit jacks, avocado, coconut, red bean, sugar palm fruit, cincau or jelly made of janggelan (mesona palustris) leaves extract, cendol or green strands made of green pea flour, coconut milk, coco pandan syrup or you can use strawberry syrup, sweetened condensed milk and shaved ice.

Or if you cannot get all the ingredients to make Es Campur, you can use other fruits that you like and make your own authentic mixed fruit shaved ice for your shinny and bright summer.

Meidyana Rayana Intern Reporter news@theasian.asia