By Prof. Dr. Ir. Sedarnawati Yasni, M.Agr. (Senior Auditor of LPPOM MUI)
Getuk Lindri is a typical Central Javanese snack that has existed since the Dutch colonial era. What are the critical points of prohibition that must be observed behind its delicious taste?
Delicious culinary does not have to refer to food from abroad, such as Korea, Japan, China, Europe, and America. In the country, several typical snacks are worth enjoying. One of them is getuk lindri, a snack from the old days whose existence is still popular today.
Getuk lindri is a traditional snack that is very popular in Central Java, especially in Magelang City. The main ingredients of getuk lindri are steamed cassava, granulated sugar, salt, and grated coconut. Getting lindri is done by cleaning the steamed cassava from the wick in the middle, adding sugar and salt, and then pounding it until it is smooth. In the final stage, coloring is added, and the shape is printed using a traditional mold, the final result is elongated and cut according to taste or put into a getuk mill to become like noodles and cut to the desired size. Getuk lindri dough is usually given coloring such as brown, green, or pink and served with grated young coconut.
Although known as an old snack, getuk lindri can still be easily found in Magelang, Central Java. Getuk lindri can also be obtained through online stores or made at home.
History of Getuk Lindri
According to the sejarahunik.net page, getuk is a snack from Central Java that originated during the Japanese colonial era. Some opinions state that at that time, rice was scarce, so the local people of Magelang used cassava as a staple food to replace rice.
A resident of Karet village, Magelang City, named Ali Mohtar, tried to innovate to make delicious food from cassava because he wanted to enjoy cassava with a different preparation. Cassava is steamed and mashed with sugar. The process of smoothing cassava is done manually by pounding it in a mortar until it makes a tuk…tuk… sound. This is where the word getuk is said to come from, while the word “lindri” according to historian J. FX. Horey comes from the mold used to roll the getuk dough.
Along with technology development, getuk can be made with modern equipment. However, many still pound getuk traditionally using a mortar. In addition to its delicious taste, getuk lindri also has a reasonably deep philosophy. According to the Javanese, this snack symbolizes simplicity, reminding Java people to be grateful for anything constantly.
Raw Materials and Processing Methods
Getuk lindri is different from other cassava getuk in general. Therefore, the shape, taste, and method of making it are also different. In general, the texture of cassava getuk is rougher, and the color is brownish white; some are even brown because they use Javanese sugar. In addition to its very smooth texture, getuk lindri has a very varied color; there are red, white, yellow, brown, and green.
Culinary expert Herti T., in her review on cookpad.com, explained that the main ingredients for making getuk lindri are cassava, granulated sugar, butter, coconut, condensed milk, salt, and food coloring. She suggested using cassava butter to get a softer texture.
The method of making getuk lindri is straightforward. After the cassava is washed, it is steamed for 45 minutes, then cooled and pounded or smoothed with specific equipment. After the cassava is pounded, butter, salt, granulated sugar, and condensed milk are mixed. All of these ingredients are stirred by hand and kneaded until all mixed, “wrote Herti. After the dough is evenly mixed, it is divided according to the desired color and molded. Molding can also be done using a meat grinder. After being molded, getuk lindri is ready to be served with grated coconut.
Benefits and Halal Aspects
IPB University Professor Prof. Dr. Ir. Sedarnawati Yasni, M.Agr., explained that getuk lindri, made from cassava, is highly recommended to be consumed as a substitute for rice because cassava is a good source of energy for the body, which can increase stamina. Some of the beneficial contents of cassava are (1) complex carbohydrates and fiber that function to maintain digestive tract health, reduce inflammation, and control blood sugar levels, so that it can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity; (2) protein; and (3) potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin B, and various types of antioxidants, such as polyphenols and flavonoids. For those on a diet, boiled or steamed cassava is also good to consume, because the resistant starch in cassava reduces the risk of obesity and diabetes.
With various innovations in processed cassava-based foods, especially getuk lindri food, what about its halal aspects? Prof. Dr. Ir. Sedarnawati Yasni, M.Agr., who is also a senior auditor at LPPOM MUI, explained that basically, getuk lindri is a food that is halal to consume because the ingredients used are cassava, sugar, and coconut. However, in various innovations developed by the community, other ingredients from the industry are also used, such as sweetened condensed milk, butter, coloring, and flavoring. These additional ingredients must be checked for their halalness and food safety, including the product packaging used.
Generally, the ingredients used in making getuk lindri can be purchased at the market by paying attention to the presence of a halal logo on the packaging, so that the halalness of the raw material product is believed.
Many people still do not care about this because cassava is a plant-based material. In fact, there are types of poisonous cassava, and many of the colorings in circulation are not food grade, meaning they are not for food. The same goes for flavorings, some circulating in remote villages without a halal logo.
Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the desired raw materials have a halal logo, that the halal provisions are still valid, and that the product’s expiration date is precise. Getuk lindri products do not last long, so some manufacturers use preservatives to extend their shelf life. In this regard, it is necessary to pay attention to the type and dosage of preservatives permitted by BPOM, as well as the method of processing cassava, the packaging method, and the type of packaging used. If getuk lindri is packaged manually, it is necessary to pay attention to the cleanliness of the equipment and the certainty of the halalness of the type of packaging material that is safe for the food product.
Considering the ease of processing getuk lindri, people who like variations in getuk flavors while increasing its nutritional value can make it themselves by increasing the protein content (for example, crushed boiled green beans), brown sugar (to increase the aroma and sweetness), or using natural flavors and colorings (such as pandan leaves, dragon fruit), not using sweetened condensed milk (high sugar content, low protein content), paying attention to the water content of the product, and food grade plastic packaging with a clear composition. “The good news is, now there are many getuk lindri snacks that are halal certified, so consumers can choose products that are guaranteed halal,” said Sedarnawati. (***)
