Sup Gangan

A popular dish, this stew is made from cooking various ingredients from the sea in a broth, with mackerel being the main star of this soup. Seasonings and aromatics including garlic, onions, turmeric and galangal are added for flavour and to mask the smell of fish. The result is a hearty stew with a mix of sweet, sour spicy and umami tastes.

Berego

Another common delicacy, the berego is often compared to the lontong - a cake made of a staple carbohydrate packed and wrapped in banana leaves. If the lontong is made of rice, however, the berego is made from a mixture of rice flour and Sago flour. The berego, like the lontong, is generally cut into small pieces and eaten with a side serving as a condiment, whether it be a soup, laksa or noodles. These are not hard to come by as street vendors generally offer them.

Mie Belitung

A staple of the Belitung people, this dish is similar to many noodle dishes found in Indonesia; the dish consists of yellow noodles flavoured with a broth, chunks of protein and vegetables. What makes the dish different is that the broth and protein are primarily made from shrimp flavoured with onions and several seasonings. The dish is normally served with emping and best eaten hot.

Makan Bedulang

In addition to its natural beauty, Belitung is also rich in cultural heritage, one in particular is the Bedulang culinary tradition.

'Makan Bedulang' is a way of eating together with a 'dulang' (tray). Here, four people sit cross-legged around a circular tray filled with various traditional Belitung dishes. The tradition stems from a philosophy of equality expressed in every member sitting at an equal position from the food; the idea is in line with Prophet Muhammad's teachings.