Indonesia has the highest diversity of cultural among their people. The magical of beautiful diverse representing through hundred of island spread from the west to the east. Highly cultural strong related presence of staple food and impact to traditional culinary. Cassava (Manihot utilissima) known as singkong is the source of highly carbohydrate as source of energy. This is very useful plant because the leaves and root as common food for people. The root is very important part of the plant. Cassava pieces can boiled, fried with added spices and dried as tapioca for multi purpose. In this side, I will introduce poteng as the popular food from South Sulawesi. As I know, poteng known a dessert in the sunshine day.
Poteng or fermented cassava is the famous traditional food in South Sulawesi. Their taste mixture acid and sweet dessert made from boiled pieces of cassava. If the boiled cassava in the cold condition (on the room temperature) then added yeast. The mixed of cassava wrap used banana leaves and let for few days. The final result as cassava fermented producing fragrance aromatic, sweet taste with little bit of liquid.
Beside poteng, the another areas in West Java known peuyeum. The fermented traditional food was made from cassava, too. The difference between poteng and peuyeum based their form, yeast presence and water content. The process made of peuyeum almost similar to poteng, boiled whole yellow cassava. The cold of boiled cassava fermented in the dry condition. The yeast powder full covering their surface and kept in few days. Commonly peuyeum sale by hanging or put on the bamboo basket.
In contrast of the process, poteng resulted more liquid in the sweet acidy taste and peuyeum as the dried product. In marketing processes, poteng put inside container and covered by fresh banana leaves. For your information, beside the delicious dessert, poteng is the important ingredient for cake and doughnut. Poteng will be very delicious is added with syrup, milk condensed and pieces of ice. In Makassar, commonly old man as the seller of poteng coming from Gowa Regency to the (about 50 km) using a bicycle. The challenge marketing of traditional food in Makassar based their promotion direct or via online. In my observation, the existence seller of traditional food based their knowledge operating online system (using platform Instagram of Facebook). In the digital system, promoting of new product very easier if the owner able operating the system. Online system developed very well in many sector since Covid-19 spread in Indonesia. Golden opportunity introduce of traditional food in the international culinary will increasing effort of local people and proud of their product. The presence program of local Government will developing seller of traditional food promote their product to the another areas (srn).
