Bakwan

{{short description|Indonesian vegetable fritter}} {{Infobox prepared food | name = Bakwan | image = Cabbage fritters gorengan.JPG | image_size = 250px | caption = Bakwan, cabbage fritter snack | alternate_name = | country = Indonesia

| course = Snack | type = Fritter, gorengan | served = | main_ingredient = Batter (wheat flour, egg, water), vegetables (shredded cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, corn, scallions) | variations = Shrimp | calories = | other = }}

'''Bakwan''' ({{zh|t=肉丸|poj=bah-oân}}) are vegetable fritters or ''gorengan'' commonly found in Indonesia. Bakwan are usually sold by traveling street vendors. The ingredients are vegetables—usually bean sprouts, shredded cabbage and carrots—battered and deep-fried in cooking oil.<ref>No Money, No Honey: A study of street traders and prostitutes in Jakarta by Alison Murray. Oxford University Press, 1992. Glossary page xi</ref> To achieve a crispy texture, the batter uses a mixture of flour, corn starch and sago or tapioca.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tiofani |first=Krisda |date=2023-04-01 |title=5 Cara Buat Bakwan Sayur Renyah untuk Takjil, Pakai 3 Jenis Tepung |url=https://www.kompas.com/food/read/2023/04/01/072900275/5-cara-buat-bakwan-sayur-renyah-untuk-takjil-pakai-3-jenis-tepung |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=KOMPAS.com |language=id}}</ref> In West Java bakwan is known as ''bala-bala'' and in Semarang is called ''badak''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Klarasari |first1=Dwi |title=Di Semarang, Badak Boleh Dimakan |url=https://www.kompasiana.com/dwi_klarasari/5f2c0273097f36465d2b2f12/di-semarang-badak-boleh-dimakan |website=kompasiana.com |date=6 August 2020 |access-date=24 September 2022 |language=Indonesian}}</ref> It is similar to Japanese ''yasai tenpura'' (vegetable tempura), Korean ''pajeon'', Bruneian ''cucur'', Indian pakora, Burmese ''a-kyaw'', Caribbean ''pholourie'' or Filipino ''ukoy''.

==Variations== Bakwan usually consists of vegetables; however, another variation called 'bakwan udang' adds whole shrimp to the batter and is sold in snack stands at the marketplace. Because of its similarity, the term 'bakwan' is often interchangeable with 'perkedel'.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bakwan Udang (Shrimp and Vegetable Fritters) with Colo-Colo Sauce |url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/multimedia/2016/06/10/bakwan-udang-shrimp-and-vegetable-fritters-with-colo-colo-sauce.html |access-date=31 January 2021 |work=The Jakarta Post}}</ref> For example, Indonesian corn fritters are often called either 'perkedel jagung' or 'bakwan jagung'.<ref>{{cite web | title = Bakwan Jagung – Corn Fritter | author = Anta | date = 12 June 2013 | work = Daily Coking Quest | url = http://dailycookingquest.com/by-category/side-dish/bakwan-jagung | access-date = 10 August 2016 | archive-date = 30 July 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160730205050/http://dailycookingquest.com/by-category/side-dish/bakwan-jagung | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In East Java, bakwan refers to fried wonton with filling, served with tofu, noodles and meatballs in a soupy broth. The dough filling is a mixture of ground meat or fish with flour, wrapped in wonton skin and fried. This kind of bakwan is similar to bakso meatball soup, and commonly known as 'bakwan Malang' or 'bakwan Surabaya' in reference to their cities of origin, Malang and Surabaya in East Java.

Originally bakwan comes from a Chinese Indonesian cuisine recipe along with bakpao (meat bun), bakso (meatball), bakmie (meat noodle), and bakpia. The name "bakwan" is derived from the Hokkien language.

== Gallery == <gallery mode=packed heights=160px> Image:Menggoreng bakwan.JPG| Frying bakwan Image:Bakwan (seafood cake with whole shrimp).jpg| Bakwan udang, seafood cake with whole shrimp Image:Baso Malang Karapitan.JPG| Bakwan Malang, also called Bakso Malang File:Perkedel Jagung Jakarta.jpg|Bakwan jagung, a type of corn fritter </gallery>

==See also== {{Portal|Food|Indonesia}} * Perkedel * Tahu campur * Indonesian cuisine * Pakora

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commonscat|Bakwan}} Category:Fritters Category:Street food in Indonesia