Pepes

Pepes is a traditional Indonesian cooking technique where food is wrapped in banana leaves, secured with small bamboo sticks called "lidi seumat" and then steamed or grilled over charcoal. This method imparts a distinctive blend of spices and the unique aroma of banana leaves to the food. After cooking, the banana leaf is discarded, as it is not meant to be eaten.

The word "pepes" originates from the Sundanese term "papais" and is particularly popular in Sundanese cuisine. However, this cooking method goes by different names throughout Indonesia. While fish is the most common ingredient used in pepes, various proteins such as seafood, meat, chicken, tofu, tempeh, oncom, mushrooms, and vegetables can also be used. There are many variations of pepes, such as "pepes ikan mas" (carp pepes), "pepes daging" (minced beef pepes), and "pepes ayam" (chicken pepes).

Pepes is typically served with steamed rice and is often compared to other dishes like otak-otak, botok, and buntil, which also use banana leaves for wrapping. The preparation involves mixing the main ingredient with a blend of spices, wrapping it in a banana leaf, and then steaming or grilling it. In Sundanese cuisine, there are two types of pepes: the regular variant and the yellow pepes, which includes turmeric. For fish with soft bones, pressure cooking or extended cooking times may be used to achieve the desired texture.