Indonesian culinary

Salak (Salacca zalacca) is a species of palm tree (family Arecaceae) native to Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. It is a very short-stemmed palm, with leaves up to 6 metres (20 ft) long; each leaf has a 2-metre long petiole with spines up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, and numerous leaflets.

The fruit grow in clusters at the base of the palm, and are also known as snake fruit due to the reddish-brown scaly skin. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, with a distinct tip. The pulp is edible. The fruit can be peeled by pinching the tip, which should cause the skin to slough off so it can be pulled away. The fruit inside consists of three lobes with the largest of the three containing a large inedible seed. The lobes resemble, and have the consistency of, large peeled garlic cloves. The taste is usually sweet and acidic, but its apple-like texture can vary from very dry and crumbly (salak pondoh from Yogyakarta) to moist and crunchy (salak Bali).

Bika Ambon is a kind of cake from Indonesia. Made from ingredients such as tapioca and sago flour, eggs, sugar and coconut milk, Bika Ambon generally sold in pandan flavour, although now available also other flavors like banana, durian, cheese, chocolate.

Although the name contains the word "Ambon", the name of an island and its largest city, Bika Ambon is widely known as the specialty cake of Medan in North Sumatra and often brought as a gift by those whom visited the city. The origins of Bika Ambon are not known, however there is some speculation that they came to Medan through Ambonese traders, where the locals took a liking to it. Mojopahit Street, Medan Petisah is a most famous sales region of Bika Ambon in Medan, North Sumatra. There are at least 40 stores that sell this kind of cake.