One more dish that did not escape my sense of taste is Sayur Biji-Biji. Rounded small balls of minced skipjack scattered everywhere, accompanied by minced garlic, chives, bamboo shoots, and walnuts. It was hard to define its taste even by using the most superlative words.  With a common pale appearance, an appearance which was out of the ordinary when talking about Ternate cuisine, it did not qualify to describe the savory festive: a concoction of salty, savory, and a trace of illuminated sweet hovering on the edge of taste.

Finally, I decided to mollify this prolific dancing flavor with something sweet. Guraka Water, Pisang Coe, Kue Cara, and Sour Carambola Syrup, the  proper antidotes of all. If Guraka Water is the heavy spiced beverage with a sprinkling of walnuts on the surface, sour carambola syrup is the anti climax. A simple syrup, made only of boiled water, sugar, and a sour carambola.

Through out the tasting process, you can briefly sense the caramel spiked with vanilla powder. This syrup deserves to be enjoyed with ice cubes to bid the heat.

But do not leave out Pisang Coe, the layers of banana with sugar and coconut milk is a finicky remedy for those with a sweet tooth. Steamed off to contrast the sweet after taste, I balanced it with Kue Cara, similar to Javanese mud cake but thanks to the sprinkling of salted pan-fried skipjack with a dash of soy sauce, basic ingredients, and rice vermicelli, it made Kue Cara a rich and satisfying savory snack. Once again, I finally completed my spiritual gusto experience. Endlessly elongated and straight shaped, hoping to connect each dot of culinary taste in Indonesia through meaningful writings.