Holiday Ayo - If you are visiting Siantar, Indonesia, and are looking for a souvenir to bring back home, you do not have to look hard. There are many kinds of things you can bring back from Siantar, but one of the most popular ones is Ketawa Sambo Bread.

Ketawa Sambo Bread is a popular typical souvenir of Siantar. The bread is not only popular among local citizens. It has also been sold in other islands of Indonesia, like Borneo and Papua. The taste is unique and it is very soft and tender. The most recommended place to buy Ketawa Sambo Bread is at Sanganauluh Street, Pematang Siantar.

According to one of the makers of Ketawa Sambo Bread, Anthony, the name Ketawa came from the fact that the bread is split when it is cooked, which looks like a mouth laughing. The word “ketawa” in Indonesian means “laughing”.

“Ketawa Bread has now become an icon of Pematang Siantar City. The history of why it is called Ketawa Bread is because of the shape, which is cracked and split when it is cooked and it tastes really delicious. Today, Ketawa Bread has been marketed to Borneo and Papua.

"Don’t ever say you have visited Siantar if you haven’t bought Ketawa Bread. That’s the slogan that the local citizens often say to both domestic and foreign tourists,” Anthony said.

Ketawa Sambo Bread was a home business for years.

It was originally sold in traditional markets or in small shops. The bread is made of flour, sugar, sesame seeds, a bit of salt, butter, and eggs. Tourists can also watch how it is made. There are three different sizes of bread, which are small, medium, and jumbo. The breads also have different flavors, like pandan, chocolate, and original.