Badung The Center of Tourism

Spiritual Satisfaction of Making and Using the Jaja Begina

“Without jaja begina contained in the banten (offering), something is missing. Jaja begina is kind of must in banten,” said I Gusti Ayu Putri, who lives in urban Denpasar. According to her, to offer an offering containing jaja begine may supply another strong power and feeling after praying. “Maybe it’s what I call spiritual satisfaction,” she said.

Jaja begina are Balinese traditional cakes requiring a complicated making process and plenty of time as well. Actually, nowadays many modern cakes can be used also for offerings, but Ayu Putri feels much pleasure in using jaja begina. “I’d rather use jaja begina than other cakes. Beside a tradition, we should to conserve it. Who else will do that, if we don’t?” he firmly said.
Jaja begina is made in colors of red, brownish red and white as well. Sugar is put on the surface for a sweet taste. Jaja is delicious and sweet tasteing and enjoyed by young and old. Its made from sticky rice, palm or refined sugar, and salt.
The making process; the clean sticky rice is soaked into the water for one night. The sticky rice is then steamed by using a steaming pan for about 30 minutes. However, before it is finished which is about 20 minutes, the sticky rice on the pan should be splashed with water. 10 minutes later, the dough should be cooked, marked by smoke from the pan.
The cooked sticky rice is then put into the basin together with the sugar, and scrambled until flat. Put a little salt for taste, then its ready to begin dicalcal or dideldel (shaped by a pressing process until solid).
The process of mencacal; first should be prepared using banana leaf or sheets of plastic, then lay on a flat place. Then, take the print tool that usually has two shapes; circle and square measuring 10 Cm X 8 Cm. This print tool is put on the leaf or plastic. Then take a handful of sticky rice putting it on to the print tool and directly press. (dicalcal). One sheet of leaf or plastic, usually contains 10 – 12 shaped prints of jaja calcal. The number depends on the width of the leaf or plastic.
Next, the finished print is dried under the sun on a flat place. Then, put the flower, which is a decoration of red or yellow colors, made also from cooked sticky rice. The shaped result is then opened from the leaf or plastic after its half dry, then fully dry again under the heat.
The dried Jaja cacal is then fried until rising and oily. The result is what we call jaja begina. However, usually the dried jaja cacal is stored inside a belek (huge jar) that is not impenetrated by air or wind, so the cake will not become soft. Then serve when needed, replacing the left over contents back into the jar.
(BTN/Budarsana)

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