I once tweeted about the idea of me exploring Indonesian local foods more and share it on my blog. I also am dreaming about writing a book : Taste of Indonesia. Then one of my friend did response to my tweet and he said that Babi Panggang Karo (Karo-styled Roast Pig or people simply call it BPK) should be on my list. I was like… what the hell? WHAT IS THAT?
Well, lucky me, just a week later, my another friend who happened to be a Karonese ask me to go out for some BPK. I was like : “Yay! I can’t wait any longer!”
It’s actually uncommon here in Indonesia to mention about any kind of pork meals or products since Muslim forms the majority of Indonesian population. And I feel really bad for writing this, but I wish it’s okay. After all, BPK is still a kind of Indonesian local foods needed to be exposed, isn’t it? 🙂
Well, later I found out that BPK is one of the most popular dishes in North Sumatra, aside from the extreme dishes like dog… Yes, Batak ethnic in Indonesia does eat dog. My Karonese friend confessed that.
But anyway, this BPK was served with some kind of mashed cassava leaves on the bottom of it and saksang sauce which is simplya chilli sauce with a mixture of congealed blood. Yes, blood.
The good thing is… it doesn’t tastes like blood at all and in fact, it tasted really good! Even though my friend keep on telling creepy stories like how Batak people kill the dog before cooking it, I still can taste how chewy and savory this one is.
It’s kinda different with the pig roast I usually had. I used to have a Chinese-style pig roast named char siu (叉燒), which is sooooo tender and sweet. But this one is a lot chewy. And it’s also totally different with Balinese pig roast! Not even closed.
One portion of BPK comes together with a bowl of hot salty oily soup, saksang sauce, and steam rice. And note that people love to eat with their hands in Indonesia, I mean, without spoon and fork. But I am not up into doing it that moment. In fact, the only place I do that was in McDonald. So I had myself a pair of spoon and fork.
Up for a drink? I had a cup of cold passion fruit syrup drink. It’s also a well known drink from North Sumatra. My mom usually bought some and put it on our fridge. How I miss home just by drinking this.
Babi Panggang Karo : checked! Although I prefer Chinese-style pig roast much much much better, this one is worth a try.
Ah, Indonesia does offer so many kind of foods I can’t refuse, don’t you think? I really can’t wait for my next local food tasting experience!
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Sharon Loh 
Wow…, I love this BPK very much. Taste really good, I have to refrain myself from eating too much though.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
No worry! And thanks for visiting mine as well.
Hahaha I’m even planning to have another one next week 😉
The passion fruit drink looks great. So refreshing.
It is! It’s one of my favorite syrup drink back home.
Passion fruit syrup – definitely. I’d be willing to try the BPK, too – you have me intrigued 😉
And it makes me hungry just by looking at it. Passion fruit syrup is one of my best friend on summer! 😀
Hi, Sharon
I’m glad to read this topic.. 🙂 thanks before.
Karonese, that’s my tribe and yes we have a great sense of food.
apart from BPK you also should be try another unique food at that land, we called it Terites (Cipera). it has an interesting smell even the smell would stick on your hand for long time after you had finished eat, you would find something different when you taste it.
i bet you will be surprise if you haven’t know yet it made out from what. it is made from “cow manure!”. Ha Ha..don’t worry, it’s safe because not really pure from cow manure but it’s manure which is still in cow’s stomach or which is almost “released” and it cooked with some vegetables and milk.
sadly, that food a bit hard to find nowdays. should be any special event to get it.
Hi Novi! Thanks for reading 😀 I’m much more glad that you come across my blog.
Wow. Never heard about it before. But it does sound creepy! OMG! :O Which one is ‘creepier’? Terites or Kidu Kidu? >,<
You’re welcome Sharon.
He he, yeah.. It is..
You can ask your karonese friend more about it. Wish he/her knows a lot of it.
I think Terites “creepier” than kidu-kidu and for sure Terites more yummy also for me..
And if i have to choose,, i prefer Terites 😀 😀
i hope you will have a chance to get a taste of it someday..!!!
Cipera is actually different from terites.
Cipera is something like gulai ayam but made with cornflour (maizena).
while terites or i usually call it as pagit-pagit. and yes it’s made from grass that’s already consumed by cows.
Kidu-kidu is sausage made of cow intestine. it’s still commonly sold.
And there is kidu, where the name kidu-kidu came from because of the resemblance. Kidu is larvae found in palm tree. You can eat it alive or fried. I never eat it although I’ve seen adults eat that, and kids. It’s really good for children because it’s really rich in protein (I’m not sure if I was feed that when I was still very young).
waduh dosa nih siang-siang meluncur kesini ketemu BPK pulak.. aku mau mbak Sharon 😀 kalau di Medan, surganya BPK ini di daerah Padang Bulan, mbak. Kapan2 kalau ke Medan, silahkan dikunjungi 🙂
Hahahaha 😀 aku juga jd ngiler nih :9 Wah iya? Semoga suatu saat aku bs ke Medan! Menarik kyknya hihi
Never try this kind of roasted pig. Seems quite yummy 🙂
It is! This was also my first time trying BPK. A lot different with the one I usually had.
God**n! These all make me starve!
I remembered when I lived in Batam. I always had lunch BPK just near my rusun at weekend. So yummy for the fat..
The Chinese style also yummy stuff with so many varians of cook. But Sate Babi n Bakut soup still the best…
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Hahaha seems that you’re so excited!
This is my first time having BPK as lunch. Can’t wait for another plate >,<
Yeah, for the Chinese style, I like the red-colored one the most. I forgot what to call it. I guess it's cha siew or something.
Salah baca postingan ini siang-siang begini apalagi pas laper. Tempat favorit kalau main ke bandung ya di Tiga Serangkai. BPKnya juaraaaaa.
Nice share, sharon. 😀