rempeyek — Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Rempeyek, also called peyek, is a savory Indonesian-Javanese cracker made from a thin rice-flour batter bound around a scattering of granular ingredients, most commonly peanuts, though dried anchovies or small shrimp are also used. The batter coats and binds the granules loosely rather than fully enclosing them, so the fried cracker keeps an open, lacy structure. It is reported widely on Java, including around Yogyakarta, and across Indonesia and Malaysia more broadly, as well as among Indonesian communities in the Netherlands and Suriname. The peanut version, peyek kacang, is the most commonly found type, sold both as a home-cooked snack and as a small-scale commercial product. To prepare it, a batter of rice flour, coconut milk, salt and ground spices such as coriander and candlenut is mixed thin enough to coat the peanuts without clumping. Spoonfuls of the batter and peanuts are then slid into hot coconut oil, where they spread into thin, irregular sheets and fry until golden brown and crisp throughout. The type of granule used, the thickness of the batter, and the exact spice mix vary between households and producers, changing the crackers from mildly savory to distinctly spiced. Some versions use dried anchovies or shrimp instead of peanuts, and the size and shape of each piece depend on how the batter is ladled into the oil.