It’s been a while for me to search a kind of traditional food in Semarang, Pekojan porridge. For about two years I’ve been searching, I finally found out where and how to find it. I had been mistaken after watching a show on TV about the food. I thought this porridge is available in the Great Mosque or Kauman mosque. But after experiencing having a fasting break for several times there, what I got were just a package of rice, date and mineral water. I was deeply disappointed.
There were hundreds of bowls and glasses. I saw some people pouring milk into the glasses. I could hardly wait for tasting the porridge. The porridge consists of Indian porridge with sliced chayote as topping, ‘krecek’, and tofu. I also got complimentary food such as for pieces of dates, a glass of milk and a slice of watermelon. It’s a fantastic menu for breaking my fasting, especially after two years searching for it.
As I tasted the porridge, it was a bit cold since it was prepared hours before the fasting break came. It really tasted rich with some spices. Once a in while, I found small slices of ginger. It really completed the taste. The recipe itself came from some people who were originally from Arab and India. Some people call them Koja. Maybe, that’s why the porridge’s name is Pekojan porridge since the Koja is where the people came from. The people there provide the porridge for free only during Ramadhan month. If you want to drop by and feel the yummy porridge, just visit Petolongan street no 1, Kampung Pekojan, Semarang.
