Anatomy of Pecel
Pecel is some kind of salad that you are going to meet in every city on Java Island. What makes this food different from salad is the calories. In Pecel, rice is obligatory. This dish also contains many kinds of vegetables on top of the rice. The vegetables are mostly a local speciality. You might find different combinations in each region on Java. It is also common to add protein sources such as Tempe, eggs or even fried chicken.
Then comes the secret ingredient, the Bean Sauce. Just like the veggie mix, this bean sauce is different in every region. For example, in Blitar East Java, you can find a variation called Tumpang. Tumpang uses soy instead of bean. It gives a more sour taste than other kinds of bean sauce.
If you want to try Pecel, I suggest you look for it in the morning. Pecel is used as a breakfast menu in Java. It is really hard to find Pecel in the late afternoon into the night. At night, Indonesian mostly eat hot and spicy dishes such as Nasi Goreng or Lalapan.