Indonesia '' Today, the
telur pindang is widely spread throughout the
Indonesian archipelago; however, it is found more prevalent in
Javanese cuisine of
Central and
East Java, and also
South Sumatra. Despite sharing similarities with Chinese tea eggs that employs tea leaves, this Indonesian version favours the use of teak leaves, guava leaves or spared shallots skin instead. The use of teak leaf as coloring agent might suggest its Javanese origin, since Java is famous for its
teak wood for centuries. The teak leaf is also used to give reddish color in Yogyakarta's
gudeg, or even as dyeing material in traditional Javanese
batik-making. Indonesian cuisine favour the use of
shallots than common
onion, and subsequently the peeled shallot skins are usually collected and spared as key ingredient to make pindang eggs later. The
telur pindang is often served as part of
tumpeng,
nasi kuning or
nasi campur. In
Yogyakarta,
telur pindang often served with
gudeg or just
steamed rice. It is also part of Chinese Indonesian
lontong cap go meh. Those dishes, the
tumpeng,
nasi kuning, and
lontong cap go meh, are important ceremonial dishes for each respective cultures, since eggs are traditionally symbolize fertility, regeneration and luck.
Malaysia Telur pindang in Malaysia is most popular in
Johor, the southernmost state in
Peninsular Malaysia. The true origins of the dish are unclear; however, the cuisine most likely originated from Chinese merchants and settlers who came to the country in the 19th century through
the once independent sultanate, having significant similarities to
tea eggs. Another possible theory suggests that it was probably brought by
Javanese immigrants instead, that settled in Johor about a century ago. The recipe might have caught on due to its preserved nature. With Johor being a hub of international trade, it would be useful to the many merchants at sea who can benefit from such an easily stored food item that lasted for weeks. The common ingredients of
telur pindang are shallot skins,
tamarind,
fennel,
coriander,
soy sauce, and various leaves such as guava leaves or
mangosteen leaves, although different recipes have different mixes of these ingredients or even additional ingredients, giving it a unique flavor. The notable difference between Malaysian and Indonesian
telur pindang is the use of teak leaves, which are replaced with other leaves in most traditional Malaysian
telur pindang recipes. ==See also==