Sambai Oen Peugaga, A Traditional Dish From Aceh Indonesia

Sambai Oen Peugaga, is a truly unique dish from Aceh Province of Indonesia. It’s made from about 40 kinds of leaves that grow in Aceh. The leaves are cut in tiny pieces and then they are mixed together. Some chili and fried coconut added. I really love this Acehnese traditional food though it’s very difficult to find. Sambai Oen Peugaga is only available during Ramadan Fasting Month. So, it’s once a year. We could buy the this at traditional market during Ramadan.

As I live in Bireuen Town, I bought the sambai at the market in Bireuen. The market is located at the heart of Bireuen Town, close to Bireuen Food Court. It’s just close to WD Coffee Shop and BSI Bank. As we can look at the pictures, the leaves are so tiny cut. I can imagine how long time it’s taken to cut the leaves. There are also some small shrimps added in Sambai.

The Sambai seller is usually a senior women. They have learned to make Sambai On Peugaga from generation to generation. It’s believed that the dish has existed in Aceh since hundreds of years ago, when Aceh was still a kingdom. Now Aceh is a province, part of Indonesia.

The Sambai is wrapped in banana leaves. I ordered two packs of Sambai Oen Peugaga. Almost everyday I buy two packs. As Sambai is difficult to find before Ramadan, so I have to enjoy it as much as possible. I know that not all young generation love to eat the dish. However, if they try it once, I am pretty sure they will be addicted. The taste is totally different and unique, you can imagine how 40 kind of leaved mixed together, and also with some chili, fried coconut and shrimps.

The types of leaves are kaffir lime leaves, noni leaves, peugaga leaves, sigeuntot leaves, lawah leaves and dozens of other types of leaves. However, now it is not easy to get the 44 types of leaves.Source. That’s is why Sambai Oen Peugaga is only available during Ramadan Fasting Month.

The seller is so expert in making this dish and she just sell a portion of Sambai Oen Peugaga for IDR 5,000 only. It’s just about 1.5 STEEM in recent price! I ordered to portions to enjoy at home when breaking our fasting. Unfortunately, my wife and children don’t like Sambai Oen Peugaga. I think we need to promote the traditional dish, and we have to maintain the consumers otherwise the traditional dish of Aceh will extinct in some point in the future.

Finally, my sambai was ready. Then I drove home and waited for the time of breaking fasting and enjoying Sambai Oen Peugaga.

Thanks for reading
Regard,
@razack-pulo