Pempek is made from boneless fish meat such as Ikan Tenggiri (Wahoo fish), Ikan Gabus (common Snakehead) or Gurami (Gourami) which then mixed along with salt, water and tapioca flour resulting a smooth and solidified texture.Those all fish are similar in texture, have bright color and more easier to get in the market or fish store. There's another fish, Ikan Belida (Clown Knife Fish / Chitala) which actually it said as the best taste but lack on quantity, so it globally stated not to be consumed to prevents its scarcity. The pure Pempek is definitely pricey since it contains whole meat, no addition of ingredients, but somehow nowadays we can get it in cheaper way. By built its recognition, sooner Pempek could be found anywhere in different cities in Indonesia, from becoming a brand, built a branch such as speciality store located in Malls, food-courts, street cart or even available on online shop. The early problem which is about the expensive or premium ingredients used and its distribution now become larger affecting Pempek to using familiar fish, for example those three fish above, and changing the ratio of the mixture to minimize some cost, which in the end it sort affecting the true taste. For some loyal fans, they even noted about fake Pempek, because the chaos ratio of mixture and cheaper price. It also resulting of more flavorless and changed taste when it goes adapted in different regions, for some people maybe hate if the sauce too spicy, prefer a less chewy meat (including the fish source) or even asking more variants.
Chewy bites, flavorful, tasty, it's such common fish cake characteristic. It's true. Even though the different fish meat used is also determine its taste and somehow giving a quite difference. To eat, Pempek must be fried first, to soon transformed into a golden-brown color with crispy surface. The fried method is actually keep the inside moisture and prevents the outside moisture rotten faster. It also enhance your -gulp- by yummy looks, although I was think the real reason was Indonesian people really love of fried snack. Later, don't forget the good sauce since it really raise the appetite. Cuko, how its named are made from mixing of vinegar, brown sugar (gula jawa), tamarind, dried shrimp or ebi, salt, garlic, chili and water. 
There are variants of Pempek :
Kapal Selam / Submarine
is the biggest one because it is stuffed with a whole boiled eggs. So it's really moist inside, the combination of meat and the eggs are giving double pleasure.
Lenjer / Lonjong
is the long-shaped, looks like a sausage.
Bulat / Adaan
is the round-shaped, a ball or Bakso look alike.
Kulit / Skin
is appeared as flat round. Contains the mixture of meat and fish skin. It's quite crunchier than the others, as it's named.
By dipping in Cuko or pouring together, Pempek are also eaten with slice of young cucumber and chili. It may looks simple, to letting the combination of rich, fresh, sweet and acid sauce bringing more excitement of the tasty meat.
Do you ever get a fever?
For something special that beaten your nervous
Like the first time you may falling in love
Love the trembling sound you could hear
A fish swimming in the sea
A sound of fishes toward your breath
Are we are a fish too?
Dear black and white
It's still a pureness without doubt
Name is just a matter to where we live
But our body spend the same spectrum
Are we different from others?
Then what was the sea we sailing now?
Do you ever..got a fever?
Like your heart missing out the precious
Please, please, dear
Keep your pureness because it's precious to me
All the hail you pray are become one
We may fail when we grows
But we still a same someone to alive
Healing by the sound of the same sea
~ Fisherman's Fever @Heiki'14
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