Panukuk Cake, Traditional Onan Hasang Cake about Beautiful Childhood Memories

 

Panukuk Cake

Food is not only a matter of taste but food also contains stories or memories in it.

Panukuk Cake or known as Serabi Cake (pancakes) is a traditional food sold in the market area of Onan Hasang Village, Pahae Julu District, North Tapanuli.

Not all areas in North Tapanuli know Panukuk, this is proven when I asked a few friends who were Batak people, they did not know about Panukuk cakes.

I don't know where the name Panukuk cake came from, as I know people in the village of Onan Hasang refer to this pancake cake as Panukuk.

The ingredients for making Panukuk are very different from other pancakes. Pancake cakes made from rice flour with a mixture of coconut milk, grated coconut, sugar, and a little Tuak. (Tuak is a kind of Nusantara alcoholic beverage which is the result of fermentation of sap, rice, using yeast and enzymes that are naturally available in yeast)

The taste of Tuak in Panukuk cake makes this cake have a slightly sour taste. The sweet and sour taste makes this cake tastier and tastes even more savoury.

Panukuk is not just an ordinary cake for me but about the good memories of my childhood when I was on vacation in the village of Onan Hasang where my grandparents lived. That's why I always remember Panukuk cakes.

The first time I went to the village of Onan Hasang when I was a toddler maybe around 3-4 years, and maybe for the first time, I tasted Panukuk cakes. But at that age, I have not been able to remember the taste and delicacy of Panukuk cakes and also have not been able to remember the memories of eating Panukuk cakes.

The second time I returned to the village when I was 9 years old. At this time, I have understood and felt the delicious pancakes.

The seller of Panukuk cakes sells his cake not far from my grandfather's house and for a month I vacation in the village, every day my mother and I always buys Panukuk cakes.

Panukuk Cake sellers start selling cakes at 6:00 in the morning, if I'm not in a hurry to go there, of course, I won't get Panukuk cakes because Panukuk cakes are in great demand so the cake runs out quickly. Therefore, when I wake up in the morning, I go directly to the pancake cake seller.

At that time the air in the village of Onan Hasang was still very cold, so eating warm pancakes from the pan accompanied by milk, coffee or tea gave a warm and pleasant feeling. Not only eating cake but accompanied by a pleasant chat with family members who have not seen each other for a long time, so there are many things to say. I was a child at the time so I was only a listener, but I really enjoyed the chat and even laughed if the subject was funny.

Panukuk Cake Seller is Frying Panukuk Cake

After eating the Panukuk cake, new family members continue their other activities. If I wasn't invited to go to another relative's house, I would play together with my cousin or friend I just met in the village.

We walked down the rice fields, playing water in the river behind my grandmother's house. During the day the air starts to feel warm, we will take a bath in a public bath which has a shower made of bamboo. Flowing water comes from the mountains so the water feels very fresh.

Cake Panukuk always started my beautiful day during the village where my grandfather and grandmother were still alive and almost all large families gathered at that time. Memories about family togetherness that is still complete and harmonious, and memories about the innocent and cheerful childhoods, not understanding the burdens and problems of life.

Cake Panukuk is also a memory of the beautiful Onan Hasang nature with its green hills, yellowing rice fields because they are ready to be harvested, its cold air, fresh shower water because it comes from the mountains, the people are friendly and friendly.