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Tapai — traditional dish from Dili, Timor-Leste
Snack Vegan

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥210kcal
💪3gProtein
🌾47gCarbs
🥑—Fat
🌿2gFibre
⚖️150 gServing

* Per serving · 150 g. May vary.

Allergens

🌾 Gluten

Tapai

How to order / say it
Say it Tapai — [TAH-pai]
Order I'd like to try Tapai Dili.
Locally Hakarak experiensia Tapai Dili.
Say locally

A traditional fermented snack made from rice and cassava.

Why try it?

Tapai Dili offers a glimpse into the traditional techniques of fermentation deeply rooted in the city's history. It's cherished for its distinctive, slightly alcoholic taste and cultural heritage.

How it tastes

The result is a sticky, tangy snack with a sweet, slightly alcoholic aftertaste due to fermentation. Each bite reveals a complex interplay of flavors with a soft, jelly-like texture.

Origin & History — first documented: 1820

Dating back to early 19th century Dili, Tapai emerged as a preservation method, using fermentation processes learned from nearby regions. Over time, it became popular during celebrations and rituals, symbolizing a blend of practicality and cultural evolution.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🌾 300 g glutinous rice
  • 🥕 200 g cassava
  • 🧂 5 g rice wine yeast

Method

  1. 1 Cook rice and cassava.
  2. 2 Mix in yeast and let ferment.
  3. 3 Store in a warm place for several days.
All Asia recipes — Timor-Leste — Dili — Tapai
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