Gaplek

Gaplek making in Colonial Surabaya.

Gaplek is the Javanese and Indonesian word for the sliced dried root of cassava. It is produced in the limestone uplands of Java, where soils are poor enough that rice grows poorly. The cassava root is harvested, peeled, sliced into pieces 6 to 8 inches long, and dried in the sun for 1 to 3 days. After drying, the gaplek is stored in a cool, dry place. If sufficiently dry it is relatively unaffected by pests. When other food sources are unavailable or too expensive, the gaplek pieces are pounded into small bits and cooked like rice.