There is a nearly forgotten and almost lost snack with a very unique name, “balung kethek.” A mother of two toddlers named Nurhasanah was moved by her love for balung kethek and decided to preserve this snack. It is called “balung” because it is as hard as a bone, and when bitten, it makes the person wince like a kethek (a type of monkey). The main ingredient for making balung kethek is cassava. Mother Nurhasanah lives in the village of Bendosari, which is rich in cassava farming. Cassava is one of the commodities of the Bendosari village, so the raw material is abundant and readily available. To appeal to young people, Nurhasanah makes her balung kethek with a modern flavor. The original and sweet-spicy flavors are the two most preferred. Her production house is called “Rumah Faiz Snack.” Sales average around 6,000 small and large packs per week and are distributed widely, from Nguter, Sukoharjo Kota, Tawangsari, Bekonang, and even to Gemblegan Solo.
Balung kethek is packaged in various sizes, depending on the price, using plastic that is tied at the end. There are currently no alternative methods for packaging the product as a consumer choice. Therefore, on this occasion, the Electronics and Instrumentation Lecturer Team led by Dr. Ainie Khuriati, who also serves as the field supervisor for KKN Team I in Bendosari village, conducted a community service activity with the theme “training on the use of the latest vacuum technology for packaging balung kethek products.” This activity was carried out in collaboration with KKN Team I in Bendosari village and several Physics students. The activity concluded with the free distribution of vacuum equipment.
