SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Indonesians are very familiar with a variety of crackers. With their crunchy and savory texture, crackers are the perfect complement to any meal.

Within Indonesia itself, there are a number of different types of crackers. Here are some popular ones, as quoted from the website of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf).

1. Shrimp crackers

As the name implies, shrimp crackers are made from small, finely ground shrimp as the main ingredient. The traditional crackers originating from Sidoarjo, East Java, are known to be wide, thin and slightly pink in color.

Because of its strong flavor and aroma, shrimp crackers can be enjoyed with a variety of Indonesian dishes, such as rawon, fried rice, or lontong opor.

2. Kerupuk blek

Kerupuk blek is a type of cracker commonly known as “white rose crackers” or “uyel crackers”, which are often used in competitions during the 17th of August. The reason it is called kerupuk blek is because these crackers are stored in a zinc tin container called a blek.

3. Gendar crackers

Kerupuk gendar is a native Indonesian cracker found in Central Java. These crackers are made from rice batter with spices added.

Typically found in Central Java, gendar crackers are also known as karak crackers. Thanks to its crunchy and savory texture, some people often make gendar crackers as a snack when relaxing.

4. Kerupuk melarat

Apparently, the word “melarat” in this type of cracker is taken from the Javanese language which means poor. This is because these crackers are not fried in oil, but roasted using hot sand.

The use of sand is motivated by the expensive price of cooking oil. You don't need to worry, because the type of sand used to toast the grinded crackers is safe and clean. The taste is still savory and delicious, making it suitable as a friend to eat rice or as a snack.

5. Noodle crackers

Noodle crackers are named because they have a curly shape and are yellow in color like egg noodles. Usually, noodle crackers are used as a complement to Asinan Bogor and Asinan Betawi.

6. Kemplang crackers

Originally from Palembang, South Sumatra, these crackers are made from a combination of tapioca flour and mackerel fish. Kemplang crackers are synonymous with the appetizing aroma of fish. Usually, kemplang crackers are eaten as an accompaniment to pempek, or as a snack by dipping them in the Bangka specialty chili paste.

7. Skin crackers

Kerupuk kulit or also known as “kerupuk rambak” is a type of cracker made from cow or buffalo skin. The appeal of leather crackers is in their large size and pillow-like expansion.

Uniquely, leather crackers have a thin layer, crunchy texture, and melt in the mouth when eaten. Apart from being eaten directly, leather crackers are often processed into various Indonesian foods, one of which is krecek from Yogyakarta.

8. Amplang crackers

Amplang crackers are a type of cracker commonly found in Samarinda, East Kalimantan. Because they are both made from mackerel fish, many people think that amplang crackers and kemplang crackers are the same.

In fact, they are very different. One of the most easily recognizable differences is that the texture of amplang crackers is denser than kemplang crackers, and amplang crackers have a small round shape and light brown color.

9. Emping

Emping, a traditional cracker with a savory and slightly bitter taste, is almost never absent as a complement to soto Betawi, chicken porridge, rawon, or fried rice. Unlike other types of crackers, emping uses melinjo seeds as the main ingredient.

The process starts with flattening the melinjo seeds and then frying them. Once cooked, emping will produce a dense and crunchy texture.