Indonesia
The Oldest Dessert in the World
Two thousand seven hundred ninety years ago, in 776 BC, we had the first Olympic. Back in the ancient Greece times, the Olympic champions would be served with special menu of deep fried dough balls dipped in honey. In the closing ceremony, there was a tradition to feed these cakes to the winners. The fried dough balls were considered their earliest prizes before the trophy and others. While it once known as ‘honey tokens’ these winning cookies are known as ‘loukoumades’ these days.
Luckily, we don’t have to win any race to taste loukoumades, Superkids. Both shape and taste of the fried dough are similar with ‘sfingi di san giuseppe’, a traditional snack from Italia. In India and Nepal, the most resembling cake is ‘gulab jamun’. Or, if we look in snacks we have in Indonesia, loukoumades is very similar with pillow cake (in some places better known as fried bread). By the way, even it’s clamied as doughnut, loukoumades doesn’t have a hole in the center like our regular doughnut.
Easy to guess, the name of the doughnut spread the world through the Olympic. As the result, loukoumades became the favorite snack in some countries in the old time. In Turkey, people call it ‘ lokma ‘, while in Persia, Egypt and Iraq it’s known as the ‘ luqmat al – Qadi ‘. This snack was recorded in a note made by a famous ancient poet Greece, Callimachus. Thus , ‘honey tokens’ aka loukoumades is believed to be the oldest favorite snacks ever.
Loukoumades is made of basic ingredients we can find anywhere. It’s yeast, flour, sugar, salt and butter. The dough is made into small balls and then fried brown. Loukoumades is served with honey syrup, sugar or cinnamon smearing. However, many modern chefs add some variation to the flavor with sesame sprinkles or crushed roasted peanuts. While it was a must to exist in on the Olympic dine table during celebration, loukoumades is a mandatory menu for Hanukkah, Jews eight days off celebration.
Kali Orexi (bon appetit)!
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: PHOTOS
