Kemplang

Kemplang is a traditional Indonesian fish cracker, a krupuk ikan, eaten as a savory snack and found mainly in the southern parts of Sumatra. It is made from wahoo or another kind of Spanish mackerel mixed with tapioca starch and other flavorings, then sun-dried and grilled or fried. The finished cracker is flat and round with a whitish color, sometimes marked dark where it was scorched in grilling, and its shape is similar to the Japanese senbei cracker. It is usually eaten with a sour and spicy sambal chili paste. The name comes from a Palembang word meaning to hit, which refers to flattening the dough. Kemplang developed in the coastal towns of South Sumatra, Bangka Belitung and Lampung. In Palembang its home industry is closely linked to pempek because both use wahoo and tapioca. Makers in Palembang and Bangka tend to fry the crackers, while in Lampung they are commonly grilled over charcoal. Kemplang is a popular souvenir and is sold in markets and supermarkets in cities across Indonesia.