Raja Ampat Food Specialties

List of Raja Ampat Specialties You Must Try

Raja Ampat is famous for its extraordinary underwater natural beauty. The area also has a unique culture that reflects the lives of local people. Among them are specialties that are rarely found elsewhere in Indonesia. Here are some Raja Ampat specialties that you can enjoy.

Raja Ampat Specialty Food Recommendations

1. Baha-Baha
Initially, this food was only served by the people in Lopintol Village. But over time, Baha-Baha is often found in various other places in the Raja Ampat region.

Baha-baha is made from processed sago that has been dried and then filtered using a sieve. The way to process it is quite easy, namely by heating it using Teflon that has been given oil until it is browned.

Baha-baha has a sweet taste and is usually enjoyed in the morning or afternoon as a tea companion.

2. Fish Wrap
The next Raja Ampat specialty that you can enjoy is fish wrap. At first glance, fish wrap is very similar to fish pepes. It’s just that when viewed from the mixture of spices and the selection of fish, the two foods are different.

Fish wrap generally uses sea fish that is processed with Raja Ampat’s special spices such as coriander, turmeric, candlenut, and shallots. The way to process it is that all the spices are mashed and then applied to the sea fish. The chilies, tomatoes, and starfruit are cut into thin slices. Raja Ampat’s signature wrapped fish has a savory taste and is best enjoyed with warm rice.

3. Habo Kon
This is a traditional Raja Ampat food made from processed sago mixed with bia frog clams. The process is to make a dough from sago mixed with various spices such as brown sugar, salt, onion, grated coconut, and chili.

After that, the dough is put into the shell of the bia kodok clam that has been boiled beforehand. The shells containing the dough are grilled until cooked. Habo Kon has a savory taste and is loved by tourists when visiting Raja Ampat.

4. Sea Worms
This is a common specialty in Raja Ampat. Sea worms are often enjoyed as a snack by the people of Raja Ampat, especially those living in the Ayau Islands. What’s interesting is the way the people of Raja Ampat look for sea worms.
They usually look for sea worms by using a small stick or wood that is inserted into the sea sand. After a while, the worms will wrap around the stick.

Sea worms are processed by roasting until brownish in color. When viewed, sea worms have a chewy texture like octopus. The people of Raja Ampat usually reprocess them by adding spices such as spicy pepper. You don’t need to worry because sea worms are different from earthworms which tend to be dirty.

These are some of Raja Ampat’s specialties that you need to try. The variety of food in Raja Ampat is indeed identical to processed sago as the staple food of the local population.