Find delicious and long-lasting souvenirs from Palembang, perfect to take home as a souvenir from this city of Sriwijaya.
Palembang, a city rich in culture and culinary specialties, is one of the interesting tourist destinations in Indonesia.
Known for its hot and tropical air, as well as its captivating culinary wealth, Palembang offers a variety of typical souvenirs that you can bring home to remember or share with your loved ones.
From savory snacks to sweet cakes, here are 10 choices of typical Palembang souvenirs that you must try and bring home.
1. Pempek
Pempek is a culinary icon typical of Palembang that you must try. Made from finely ground fish mixed with tapioca flour, pempek comes in various variants, such as pempek kapal selam (with egg inside), pempek lenjer (long pempek), and pempek adaan (small round pempek).
Each type of pempek is served with cuko sauce that has a distinctive sour, spicy, and sweet taste. Although pempek can now be found in various regions in Indonesia, the original taste of Palembang can only be found here.
Typical Palembang Food like pempek is a souvenir that lasts a long time if packaged well and is very suitable to be taken home as a souvenir.
2. Eight Hour Cake
Eight Hour Cake is a traditional cake made from duck eggs and sugar, without flour like most other cakes. This cake has a very soft texture and just the right amount of sweetness.
The name “eight hours” is taken from the time it takes to make it, which takes about eight hours to process it in the traditional way.
This cake has a long shelf life and is often used as a typical Palembang souvenir, especially for those who like cakes with a unique and memorable taste.
3. Smoked Fish
Smoked fish is one of Palembang’s typical souvenirs that is suitable for you to take home and enjoy with rice. The fish used to make smoked fish are generally mackerel, milkfish, tuna, or snakehead fish. These fish are flattened and then smoked to preserve them.
This smoking process gives them a distinctive smoky flavor and makes them last for up to 6-12 months. Smoked fish is delicious when enjoyed with rice or as a side dish when eating.
4. Kojo Cake
Bolu Kojo is a traditional Palembang cake shaped like a frangipani flower, with a distinctive aroma of pandan or suji leaves.
This cake has a soft sweet taste, making it a very popular snack. Bolu Kojo is very suitable as a souvenir because of its soft texture and delicious taste. Known for its attractive appearance and delicious taste, Kojo cake is one of the favorite souvenirs for tourists visiting Palembang.
5. Thousand Crackers
Thousand Crackers are one type of cracker that is very popular in Palembang. Made from mackerel, these crackers are small in size and have a crunchy texture. The name “pecah seribu” was given because these crackers break evenly when bitten.
These crackers are perfect as a snack or accompaniment to rice, and are usually packaged in a practical container so they are easy to take home. Kerupuk Pecah Seribu is a light and easy to store souvenir, making it a great choice to bring home from Palembang.
6. Crackers
Kemplang is a type of cracker made from fish, but different from other crackers because kemplang is made from pempeklenjer that is cut into pieces, then fried twice. This frying process gives kemplang a hard and durable texture.
Usually, kemplang is served with a sauce that adds a savory taste. Kemplang is a delicious snack and can be a practical souvenir from Palembang to take home.
7. Lingkung Chili Sauce
Sambal Lingkung, or samballingkong, is a typical Palembang chili sauce that is different from chili sauce in general. Even though it is called sambal, this sambal is more like shredded meat or serundeng made from mackerel mixed with coconut milk and special spices.
Sambal Lingkung is often cooked for celebrations such as Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, but now you can easily buy it at Palembang souvenir shops. This chili sauce can be used as a complement to various dishes, providing a savory and delicious spicy taste.
8. Tempoyak
Tempoyak is a fermented durian food which is a typical Palembang dish. Unlike durian which is usually eaten raw, tempoyak is used as a seasoning to complement main dishes such as fish or chicken.
Having a sour taste and strong aroma, tempoyak is a popular accompaniment to rice in Palembang. This food is sold at an affordable price and is easy to find in markets or souvenir shops. If you want to try food with a typical Palembang taste, tempoyak is the right choice to take home.
9. Suri Cake
Bolu Suri is a type of traditional Palembang cake that has a sweet and savory taste. Similar to other cakes, bolu suri does not use lime leaves and lemongrass in its dough, resulting in a different taste.
With a price of around Rp. 125,000, this cake has a soft texture and is very suitable as a souvenir. Make sure to check the expiration date before purchasing, so that the suri cake is still delicious when it arrives home.
10. Maksuba Cake
Maksuba cake is a typical Palembang layered cake made from eggs, butter, condensed milk, granulated sugar, and vanilla essence. This cake has a soft texture and a very sweet taste, making it a perfect snack to enjoy with family.
Maksuba cake has a layered appearance, similar to regular layered cakes, and is often given as a gift or souvenir because of its uniqueness. If you are looking for a sweet and typical Palembang souvenir, Maksuba cake is a choice that should not be missed.
With its culinary richness, Palembang offers a variety of delicious and long-lasting souvenirs. From the legendary pempek to sweet traditional cakes, each of these food choices brings an authentic taste that you can only find in Palembang.
When visiting Palembang, don’t forget to bring home Typical South Sumatra Food as souvenirs to share with family or friends.
Delicacies such as pempek, a traditional fish cake, and tekwan, a savory fish soup, are popular choices that offer an authentic taste of the region. These treats are not only delicious but also represent the rich culinary heritage of South Sumatra.
