Tabanan, Rainbow over Ricefields

‘’Klepon’’ Cake, the Trade Mark of Tanah Lot, Tabanan

Aside from having a panoramic view, the Tanah Lot tourist object is also known for its ‘klepon’. Klepon is a Balinese traditional cake, which shape is bijou and round as well as has two colours (green and black). Green klepon is made from ketan or white sticky rice by applying colouring agent by using the extract of suji leaf (naturally green). Meanwhile, the black klepon is made from injin or black sticky rice without colouring agent.

As soon as entering the entrance split gate, you will encounter vendors offering the klepon cakes in a row along the left and right side of the road. They offer the cakes by wrapping them in banana leaf.
Klepon of Tanah Lot is indeed different. It tastes delicious with typical elasticity caused by the blend of the white sticky rice flour, suji leaf, scenting screw pine leaf and lime for chewing with betel leaf. Sugar sauce within the klepon ball also tastes distinctively as it is made from selected sugar, namely Balinese genuine sugar.
Klepon does not only come in the serving of local community but today it has become premier food for tourists who are visiting Tanah Lot. T can be said that this klepon cake had become the ‘trade mark’ of Tanah Lot. "There are tourists coming here deliberately to purchase this klepon cake," said Made Sujana, Operation Head of the Tanah Lot tourist object.
Remarked, there is a special tip to eat this klepon. And, if one sucks the sugar sauce wrongly it may spurt and make the shirt dirty. "On eating klepon, it should be entered entirely into the mouth and then digest them with the mouth in closed condition," he observed.
Klepon is produced by local community of the Tanah Lot, namely the inhabitants of Beraban, Kediri—Tabanan. Beraban Village is situated 1 km from this tourist object or 19 km west of Denpasar.
Klepon is sold by household mothers by means of small table. Just by sheltering under an umbrella, the klepon vendor patiently waits for the buyers. Once in a while, those half age women offering these cakes also speak English to offer their cake to tourists. A wrap containing 12 pieces, namely 10 green and 2 black ones, is sold at IDR 1000.
Klepon is not only on sale at those simple warung or stalls. Dewi Sinta Hotel and Restaurant located at the same area of Tanah Lot also provides klepon cakes to its guests. "Other than klepon, we also serve other Balinese cakes like pisang rai and pisang goreng," said I Gusti Gede Aryadi, the owner of the Dewi Sinta while adding that such Balinese cakes are served traditionally but packed in a modern way. For instance, pisang goreng is always combined with cheese and sugar to make them fit the western tongue. "European tourists mostly prefer this klepon cake." (BTN/015)