6 Delicious and Healthy Ingredients in a Plate of Pecel Ndeso

There is one Solo traditional dish which now is difficult to find, pecel ndeso. Although a typical of Solo dish, there are things that distinguish ordinary pecel from this pecel ndeso. First, if ordinary a pecel has white rice, pecel ndeso uses brown rice. Second, the vegetables in pecel ndeso are more varied than the regular pecel. Pecel ndeso vegetables generally consist of spinach, bean sprouts, kenikir (Cosmos caudatus), kembang turi (katurai, Sesbania grandiflora), kecipir (winged bean), and jantung pisang (banana blossom). This jantung pisang is a signature vegetable of pecel ndeso that you cannot find in other types of pecel. Another striking difference is the sauce. If ordinary pecel with peanut sauce, pecel ndeso uses sambal wijen hitam (black sesame sauce). One more thing, pecel ndeso usually comes with karak, a type of cracker made from rice.

Image source: https://www.solopos.com/

Another complement that is commonly served with pecel ndeso is bothok bongko made from tholo beans or red beans mixed with grated coconut and spices then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. From its ingredients, pecel ndeso is not only filling but also healthy. Let’s take a peek at the nutritional content of each pecel ndeso ingredients.

Red rice

Brown rice has high nutritional value and has low calories so it provides many health benefits compared to white rice. Brown rice helps improve heart health, aids weight loss, controls diabetes, boosts immunity, and maintains the health of digestive organs.

Spinach

Spinach has a high fiber content so it is good for digestion. In addition, spinach also has a complete nutritional content. Some of the benefits of consuming spinach include maintaining heart health, increasing bone strength, preventing cancer, maintaining healthy blood vessels, and good for pregnant women because of the folate and vitamin A contents.

Kembang turi

Kembang turi (Turi flower) contains saponins, tannins, glycosides, vitamins A, B, and C and contains calcium, iron, and sugar. Some benefits we can get from Turi flowers include treating canker sores, dysentery and bloody stools, treating coughs, and so on.

Jantung Pisang

Despite being a rarely used part of a banana plant, the jantung pisang turns out to have health benefits, including curing infections, overcoming diabetes and anemia, boosting breast milk production, and fighting free radicals.

Bean sprouts

Bean sprouts or also often referred are effective to ease the work of the digestive system, control blood sugar, and reduce risk factors for heart disease.

Long beans

Long beans contain vitamin A, vitamin C, and other nutrients that are effective for skin health, heart health, preventing cancer, and lowering glucose levels.

Pecel ndeso is usually served in a pincuk (a ‘plate’ made of banana leaf). Brown rice and vegetables are tossed with sambal wijen hitam and then topped with karak crackers. Hmm, it’s delicious.

There are not many stalls selling pecel ndeso in Solo now. If you want to try menu, you find it in row of food stalls behind the Manahan Solo stadium or inside Pasar Gedhe Solo.