bakwan — West Java, Indonesia

Bakwan, also called bala-bala in West Java and badak in Semarang, is a deep-fried vegetable fritter found across Indonesia, part of the wider family of savory fried snacks known as gorengan. It is eaten as a snack at almost any time of day, usually still hot from the fryer. This version comes from West Java, where street vendors carry trays or carts of freshly fried bakwan for passers-by. Similar fritters exist elsewhere under other names, and the dish has counterparts across the region and beyond, from Japanese vegetable tempura to Indian pakora. Bean sprouts, shredded cabbage and julienned carrot are folded into a batter of wheat flour, cornstarch and sago or tapioca starch, which is what gives the fritter its crisp, slightly brittle edge once fried. Garlic and sometimes egg season the batter itself. Spoonfuls of the mixture are dropped into hot oil and fried until golden on both sides. What distinguishes bakwan from a plain vegetable pancake is the starch mix in the batter, chosen for crunch rather than softness, and the fact that the vegetables stay in visible strands rather than being pureed. Vendors vary the vegetables — adding shrimp or egg in some stalls — but the shredded-cabbage-and-bean-sprout base and the crisp fried edge remain constant.