Fried rice, fried noodles, fried chicken, fried fish, fried bananas… it’s tough to find a meal here that hasn’t been fried in one way or another.
I suppose it makes sense. Refrigerators and ovens are luxuries many people here cannot afford. So giving a meal a good frying… or re-frying… is a great way to kill anything that may be compromising the quality of the food as it sat out waiting to be eaten.
When eating local cuisine, we try to pick healthy options, but I confess, fried something shows up on our table at least a couple times a week.
And while confessing, I suppose I should mention the local gorengan stand. That’s right, the “fried stuff” stand.
It’s around the corner and down the block from our house. A sweet husband and wife stand there each afternoon, taking all sorts of healthy fruits and veggies, covering them in a sweet batter, frying them ’til they’re warm and crispy…
And then they sell them for mere pennies to innocent passerby’s…
Like Josh.
Whose favorite is fried jackfruit.
So maybe it’s not the healthiest way of entering the culture and embracing life with the locals… but hey! it can’t be all bad since we’re eating our fruits and veggies too!
The Joy is in the Journey 