{{short description|Indonesian and Southeast Asian traditional fermented of rice}} {{Other uses}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox prepared food | name = Tapai | image = Tapai peuyeum Pasar Baru.JPG | image_size = 250px | caption = Packaged tapai paste made from cassava in Indonesia | alternate_name = Peuyeum, etc. | country = | region =Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia | creator = | course = | type = Rice wine, alcoholic paste | served = | main_ingredient = Usually white rice, glutinous rice | variations = | calories = | other = }} [[File:Merienda with tapuy and biko.jpg|thumb|''Tapuy'', a traditional Ifugao rice wine prepared with ''tapay'' in the Cordillera highlands of Luzon, Philippines]] [[File:Peuyeum.jpg|thumb|Dried alcoholic fermented cassava or ''peuyeum'' at Yogyakarta, Indonesia]]

'''''Tapai''''' (also '''''tapay''''' or '''''tape''''') is a traditional fermented preparation of rice or other starchy foods, and is found throughout much of Southeast Asia, especially in Austronesian cultures, and parts of East Asia. It refers to both the alcoholic paste and the alcoholic beverage derived from it. It has a sweet or sour taste<ref name="FAO1">{{cite web | title=Fermented Cereals. A Global Perspective | author= Norman F. Haard | publisher=United Nations FAO | url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2184e/x2184e09.htm | year=1999 |display-authors=etal}}</ref> and can be eaten as is, as ingredients for traditional recipes, or fermented further to make rice wine (which in some cultures is also called ''tapai''). ''Tapai'' is traditionally made with white rice or glutinous rice, but can also be made from a variety of carbohydrate sources, including cassava and potatoes.<ref name="FAO1"/><ref name="Gandjar1">{{cite web |title = TAPAI from Cassava and Cereals |author = Indrawati Gandjar |publisher = University of Indonesia |url = http://plantpro.doae.go.th/worldfermentedfood/I_10_Gandjar.pdf |date = August 2003 |access-date = 28 July 2006 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050126025820/http://plantpro.doae.go.th/worldfermentedfood/I_10_Gandjar.pdf |archive-date = 26 January 2005 }}</ref> Fermentation is performed by a variety of moulds including ''Aspergillus oryzae'', ''Rhizopus oryzae'', ''Amylomyces rouxii'' or ''Mucor'' species, and yeasts including ''Saccharomyces cerevisiae'', and ''Saccharomycopsis fibuliger'', ''Endomycopsis burtonii'' and others, along with bacteria.<ref name="FAO1"/><ref name="Gandjar1"/>

==Etymology== ''Tapai'' is derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian ''*tapay'' ("fermented [food]"), which in turn is derived from Proto-Austronesian ''*tapaJ'' ("fermented [food]"). Derived cognates has come to refer to a wide variety of fermented food throughout Austronesia, including yeasted bread and rice wine.<ref name="truss">{{cite web |last1= Blust |first1=Robert|first2= Stephen|last2= Trussel |title=Austronesian Comparative Dictionary: *t |url=http://www.trussel2.com/acd/introduction.htm |website=Austronesian Comparative Dictionary |access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="dohra">{{cite journal |last1=Fitrisia |first1=Dohra |last2=Widayati |first2=Dwi |title=Changes in basic meanings from Proto-Austronesian to Acehnese |journal=Studies in English Language and Education |year=2018 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=114–125 |doi=10.24815/siele.v5i1.9431|doi-access=free }}</ref> Proto-Malayo-Polynesian ''*tapay-an'' also refers to large earthen jars originally used for this fermentation process. Cognates in modern Austronesian languages include ''tapayan'' (Tagalog), ''tapayan'' (Maguindanaon), ''tepayan'' (Iban), and ''tempayan'' (Javanese and Malay).<ref name="truss"/><ref name="dohra"/>

== Starter culture == ''Tapai'' is made by inoculating a carbohydrate source with the required microorganisms in a starter culture. This culture has different names in different regions, shown in the table below. The culture can be naturally captured from the wild, by mixing rice flour with ground spices (include garlic, pepper, chili, cinnamon), cane sugar or coconut water, slices of ginger or ginger extract, and water to make a dough.<ref name="Gandjar1"/> The dough is pressed into round cakes, about 3&nbsp;cm across and 1&nbsp;cm thick, and left to incubate on trays with banana leaves under and over them for two to three days. They are then dried and stored, ready for their next use.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Region | China | Indonesia/Malaysia | Korea | Philippines | Thailand |- ! Name | peh-chu, jiuyao ({{zh|t=酒藥|s=酒药|p=jiǔyào|j=zau2joek1}}) | ragi tapai | nuruk | bubod, bubur, bubud, budbud, budbod, tapay<ref name="nocheseda">{{cite web |last1=Nocheseda |first1=Elmer |title=The Invention of Happiness |url=http://www.manilaspeak.com/cool/the-invention-of-happiness |website=Manila Speak |access-date=8 December 2018}}</ref> | look-paeng |}

== Preparation == [[File:Tape Kng 070609 230 tdp.jpg|thumb|right|''Tapai ketan'', fermented glutinous rice wrapped in leaf, Kuningan, West Java.]] ===Traditional=== Traditionally, cooked white rice or glutinous rice are fermented in ''tapayan'' jars. Depending on the length of time and various processes, ''tapai'' will result in a large number of end products. These include slightly fermented dough used for rice cakes (Filipino ''galapong''); dried fermented cakes (Indonesian ''brem'' cakes); fermented cooked rice (Filipino ''buro'', ''tapay'', ''inuruban'', ''binubudan'', ''binuboran''; Indonesian/Malaysian ''tapai'' or ''tape''); fermented rice with shrimp (Filipino ''buro'', ''balaobalao'', ''balobalo'', ''tag-ilo''); fermented rice with fish (Filipino ''buro''); or various rice wines (Filipino ''tapuy'', ''tapey'', ''bubod'', ''basi'', ''pangasi''; Indonesian ''brem'' wine).<ref name="nocheseda"/>

===Modern===

====Fermented rice gruel/paste==== In modern times, in addition to rice, different types of carbohydrates such as cassava or sweet potatoes can also be used. The general process is to wash and cook the target food, cool to about 30&nbsp;°C, mix in some powdered starter culture, and rest in covered jars for one to two days. With cassava and sweet potato, the tubers are washed and peeled before cooking, then layered in baskets with starter culture sprinkled over each layer. The finished gruel will taste sweet with a hint of alcohol, and can be consumed as is, or left for several days more to become more sour.

In Thailand, '''''khao mak''''' ({{langx|th|ข้าวหมาก}}, {{IPA|th|kʰâw màːk|pron}}), also known as "Thai fermented sweet rice dessert", is fermented for several days, resulting in an alcohol content of just over one percent. It has a noticeable alcohol flavor with a sweet taste and is often packaged in banana leaves.<ref name=IJAT-2015>{{cite journal |last1=Mongkontanawat |first1=N |last2=Lertnimitmongkol |first2=W |title=Product Development of Sweet Fermented Rice (Khao-Mak) from Germinated Native Black Glutinous Rice |journal=International Journal of Agricultural Technology|date=2015 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=501–515|url=http://www.ijat-aatsea.com/pdf/v11_n2_15_febuary/IJAT_11(2)2015%2023%20mongkontanawat-Food%20technology-Revised.pdf |access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref> ''Look pang'' is the traditional fermentation starter used to make ''khao mak''. ''Look pang'' is a starch ball which contains mold (''Aspergillus'' species, ''Rhizopus'' species, and ''Mucor'' species) and yeast (''Saccharomyces cerevisiae'' and ''Candida'' species) inoculum in rice flour mixed with herbs such as pepper, garlic and galangal as an antibacterial agent. Its shape is a semicircular with 3-4 cm diameter.<ref name=IJAT-2015/> In the Khuan Don District, Satun Province it is called ''tapai''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/south/1692553|title=มองทั่วทิศเมืองไทย : "ข้าวหมากตาปัย" ของดีเมืองสตูล|date=2019-10-30|access-date=2019-11-01|language=th|work=Thairath|first=Kodiya|last=Ngerncharoen|trans-title=Mong Thit Thua Thai: "Khao mak Tapai" goodstuff of Satun}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Region | Cambodia | China | India | Indonesia | Korea | Malaysia | Philippines | Singapore | Thailand | Brunei |- ! white rice | chao, tapai <!-- Cambodia --> | lao-chao ({{zh|c=醪糟|p=láozāo|j=lou4 zou1}}), Jiuniang <!-- China --> | <!-- India --> | tapai beras <!-- Indonesia --> | nuruk <!-- Korea --> | tapai nasi <!-- Malaysia --> | tapay, buro, balaobalao, balobalo, galapong bigas<ref name="nocheseda"/><!-- Philippines --> | tapai nasi <!-- Singapore --> | khao-mak <!-- Thailand --> | tapai <!-- Brunei --> |- ! glutinous rice | tapai <!-- Cambodia --> | <!-- China --> | Bhattejaanr <!-- India --> | tapai ketan <!-- Indonesia --> | <!-- Korea --> | tapai pulut<ref>{{cite book|author=Keith Steinkraus |title=Industrialization of Indigenous Fermented Foods, Revised and Expanded |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WfjPq9dfTuMC&pg=PA247 |date=26 March 2004 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-0-8247-4784-8 |pages=247–}}</ref> <!-- Malaysia --> | tapay, binuburang basi, tapay basi, inuruban, binubudan, binuboran, galapong, galapong malagkit, galapong pilit, galapong salaket<ref name="nocheseda"/><!-- Philippines --> | <!-- Singapore --> | <!-- Thailand --> | pulut <!-- Brunei --> |- ! cassava | <!-- Cambodia --> | <!-- China --> | <!-- India --> | tapai ketela, <br>tapai ubi kayu (Minangkabau), <br>tape singkong, <br>tape telo, <br>peuyeum (Sundanese)<!-- Indonesia --> | <!-- Korea --> | tapai ubi kayu <!-- Malaysia --> | binuburang kamoteng kahoy, binuburang balanghoy, tapay panggi, tapay a banggala<!-- Philippines --> | <!-- Singapore --> | <!-- Thailand --> | <!-- Brunei --> |}

====Rice wine==== {{expand section|date=December 2018}}

== Uses in cuisine == [[File:Es Doger 1.JPG|thumb|upright|''Peuyeum'' (cassava tapai) as part of ''es doger'' sweet iced concoction dessert. ]]

===Indonesia=== ''Tapai'' and its variants are usually consumed as it is; as sweet mildly-alcoholic snacks, to accompany tea in the afternoon. The sweet fermented ''tapai'' however, are often used as the ingredient in a recipe of certain dishes. Sundanese cassava ''peuyeum'' is the main ingredient for ''colenak''; a roasted fermented cassava ''tapai'' served with ''kinca'' a sweet syrup made of grated coconut and liquid palm sugar. ''Colenak'' is Sundanese portmanteau of ''dicocol enak'' which translates to "tasty dip". ''Tapai uli'' is a roasted block of bland-tasted ''ketan'' or ''pulut'' (glutinous rice) served with sweet ''tapai ketan'' or ''tapai pulut''. The ''peuyeum goreng'' or ''tapai goreng'', or known in Javanese as ''rondho royal'' is another example of Indonesian ''gorengan'' (assorted fritters), which is deep fried battered cassava ''tapai''.

In beverages, ''tapai'', both cassava or glutinous rice, might be added into sweet iced concoction desserts, such as ''es campur'' and ''es doger''.

===Philippines=== In the Philippines, there are various ''tapay''-derived dishes and drinks. They were originally referred to by the term ''tinapay'' (literally "done through ''tapay''), as recorded by Antonio Pigafetta. But the term ''tinapay'' is now restricted to "bread" in modern Filipino languages. The most common use of fermented rice is in ''galapong'', a traditional Filipino viscous rice dough made by soaking (and usually fermenting) uncooked glutinous rice overnight and then grinding it into a paste. It is used as a base for various ''kakanin'' rice cakes (notably ''puto'' and ''bibingka''). Fermented gruel-type ''tapay'' are also common, with various ethnic groups having their own versions like Tagalog and Kapampangan ''buro'', the Ifugao ''binuburan'', and the Maranao and Maguindanao ''tapay''. These are usually traditionally fermented with or paired with fish or shrimp (similar to Japanese ''narezushi''), as in ''burong isda'', ''balao-balao'', or ''tinapayan''. Rice wines derived from ''tapay'' include the ''basi'' of Ilocos and the ''tapuy'' of Banaue and Mountain Province. ''Tapuy'' is itself the end product of ''binuburan'' allowed to ferment fully.<ref name="nocheseda"/>

==See also==

* {{Annotated link |Amazake}} * {{Annotated link |Cơm rượu}} * {{Annotated link |Jiuniang}} * {{Annotated link |Rượu nếp}} * {{Annotated link |Kvass}} * {{Annotated link |Sake}} * {{Annotated link |Tapayan}} * {{Annotated link |Tapuy}}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commonscat|Tapai}} {{Cookbook|Tapai}} *[http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/koji.html#Tape Dominic Anfiteatro's page on Asian cultured foods] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704103852/http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/koji.html#Tape |date=4 July 2013 }}

{{Rice dishes}} {{Bruneian cuisine}} {{Filipino cuisine}} {{Indonesian cuisine}} {{Malaysian cuisine}}

Category:Fermented foods Category:Bruneian cuisine Category:Cuisine of Timor-Leste Category:Indonesian snack foods Category:Malaysian snack foods Category:Filipino cuisine Category:Cassava dishes