Emping

Emping is a popular Indonesian snack made from melinjo (or belinjo) nuts, known for its unique, slightly bitter taste. These crunchy chips come in an array of flavors, including plain, salty, spicy, and sweet, depending on whether salt or caramelized sugar is added.

The process of making emping is labor-intensive and typically carried out at home. It begins with sautéing or boiling melinjo seeds to facilitate peeling. Once peeled, the seeds are flattened and left to dry in the sun, transforming them into the thin, round chips known as emping. Some larger emping varieties may incorporate different seeds or starches. The thinner emping chips are generally plain or salty, while the thicker ones often feature sweet or spicy flavors.

Emping chips are collected, packed, and sold in markets, with Java being a significant production hub. You can enjoy them raw or fry them in hot vegetable oil until they become crispy and golden yellow. They are a popular item in Indonesian markets, snack shops, supermarkets, and restaurants, both domestically and internationally.

These chips are not just casual snacks; they are also commonly served alongside traditional Indonesian dishes such as soto, nasi goreng, gado-gado, and laksa. In countries with historical ties to Indonesia, such as the Netherlands, packaged raw emping can be found in specialty stores, ready for home frying.