“Thankfully, Ibu Murniati’s Sate Babat is well seasoned and cleaned thoroughly to prevent it from possessing that horrible stench.”

When I first heard about Sate Babat (beef tripe satay), I assumed that it would be not unlike Sate Kikil (beef rind satay), which I have not eaten for nearly a decade. With my curiosity piqued, I decided to try out the Sate Babat sold by Ibu Murniati in Kopang, Central Lombok. It was her mother, Hj. Sah Nun, who first started the business many years ago. In 1990, Ibu Murniati was handed the reins. Selling various delicacies that are native to Lombok from 4pm to 6pm, her Sate Babat remains a firm favourite amongst her array of offerings. Customers should be prepared to pack their order to-go, as Ibu Murniati doesn’t have a proper stall. I took home her Sate Babat and a serving of Plecing Kangkung (water spinach and beansprout with fresh chilli sauce). If there’s one thing that I despise about beef tripe, it’s that the edible offal tends to emit an unpleasant odour. Thankfully, Ibu Murniati’s Sate Babat is well seasoned and cleaned thoroughly to prevent it from possessing that horrible stench. She claimed that this was the result of her boiling and steaming the beef tripe first. The sauce – cooked separately – combines candlenut, onion, garlic, chilli, and shrimp paste. When devoured together, what you’ll get is chewy meat that gives off a savoury tang that is rich in flavour. Now I finally know that Sate Kikil and Sate Babat are two very different types of satay. It gave me a feeling of satisfaction that I can’t put into words as a food writer to have found this satay in Lombok.

By Jessicha Valentina

Jl. Raya Kopang,
In front of Dr. Gede Bayu Marguna Putra Clinic,
Lombok Tengah, West Nusa Tenggara
T: 0819 3316 3883
Open daily from 4pm-6pm
Rp.10,000/US$0.70