KUDUS – Travelers heading toward the Colo area in the Dawe District of Kudus Regency frequently pass through Kajar Village. Along the route toward the slopes of Mount Muria, numerous stalls offer a cassava-based snack known as gethuk nyimut.
The snack is small and round, featuring a deep-fried, golden-brown exterior and a soft center. When served hot, the sugar filling melts upon the first bite. For first-time visitors, this serving style distinguishes it from other traditional varieties of gethuk.
Gethuk nyimut is popular not only as an on-the-spot snack but also as a takeaway treat for family gatherings or special occasions. Sumarno, a resident of Ngembalrejo in the Bae District of Kudus, is among the many customers who returned to the area after being introduced to the delicacy by friends.
Sumarno first discovered the gethuk nyimut center through his cycling group. Following their recommendations, he decided to visit Kajar Village himself.
He traveled the eight-kilometer distance from Ngembalrejo specifically to purchase the snacks, often buying in bulk to serve at home during evening gatherings.
dapor No.rt04/02, Jatisoro, Kajar, Kec. Dawe, Kabupaten Kudus, Jawa Tengah 59353, Indonesia
According to Sumarno, the cassava-based treat has a soft texture that is best enjoyed while warm.
“It is truly delicious. It’s a simple root vegetable transformed into a delightful gethuk with a unique appeal. The texture is incredibly soft. It’s perfect to eat while hot, paired with coffee and conversation,” said Sumarno.
He considers gethuk nyimut an excellent choice for a gift or guest refreshment. However, he advises visitors from out of town to explore different stalls, as the flavor profiles and textures can vary depending on the preparation methods of each vendor.
First-time buyers are encouraged to ask vendors about the available varieties and serving suggestions to help guide their choice.
According to Listiana Dewi, manager of Warung Gethuk Mbah Yo and daughter-in-law of Mbah Yo, the term "gethuk nyimut" became widely known in Kajar Village around 2017.
The term "nyimut" refers to the sensory experience of biting into the warm snack. The sugar inside melts, creating a burst of sweetness.
"The sugar inside comes out when you eat it. It’s sweet, in a way that’s… nyimut," Dewi explained.
Locals often associate the term with the snack's small, rounded shape. Cassava dough is formed into balls, stuffed with sweetener, and then deep-fried.
This characteristic defines the unique serving method of Kajar's gethuk nyimut. Rather than pre-frying and displaying the product, Warung Gethuk Mbah Yo fries each batch fresh upon order.
The production process begins by peeling and washing the cassava thoroughly before cooking it in a pressure cooker.
Once soft, the cassava is mashed. While the process was once done manually, the shop now uses a specialized grinding machine to ensure a smoother, more consistent texture for the dough.
Once the dough reaches a smooth consistency, it is kneaded and shaped into small spheres. In the next step, a filling is added to the center according to the available flavor variants.
Options include granulated sugar, palm sugar, and chocolate. After shaping, the raw gethuk is prepared for frying.
Frying only occurs upon order, ensuring that customers receive fresh, hot gethuk.
For dine-in customers, the wait time is part of the service experience. The gethuk is best enjoyed immediately, while the outer texture remains crispy and the center is soft.
One destination for customers is Warung Gethuk Mbah Yo in Kajar. The business was established in January 2020 by Sukoyo, known as Mbah Yo.
The location was originally an empty garden plot that was leased and developed into a retail space. In its early days, the business was managed solely by family members.
As the business has grown, so has its workforce. Warung Gethuk Mbah Yo currently employs 11 staff members.
Beyond its signature gethuk nyimut, the eatery offers a variety of side dishes. Snack options include warm mendoan, fried bananas, crispy bananas, sempolan, and tahu walik.
For customers seeking a heartier meal, the menu includes fern pecel—a local specialty of the Muria slopes—as well as tilapia, fried chicken, and catfish.
These menu offerings make the eatery a popular stop for travelers heading toward the Colo area.
Gethuk nyimut at Warung Gethuk Mbah Yo is priced at IDR 10,000 per serving, which includes 10 pieces.
Customers can choose from three fillings: granulated sugar, palm sugar, and chocolate. All variants are uniform in size and price.
For first-time visitors, the granulated sugar variant is recommended to appreciate the authentic character of the gethuk nyimut, where the filling complements the cassava dough.
The palm sugar variant offers a rich, traditional Javanese sweetness, while the chocolate variant provides a contemporary twist.
Customers planning for family gatherings, meetings, or large group orders are encouraged to reserve in advance. Inquiries can be made via WhatsApp at 0821-3620-1734, addressed to Mbak Dewi.
Further information is available through the eatery's official TikTok account, @warunggethukmbahyo.
Payment can be made via cash or digital transfer upon confirmation at the location.
Mbah Yo's Gethuk stall is located on Jalan Raya Jurang, Kajar Selatan, Kajar Village, Dawe District, Kudus Regency, Central Java 59353.
From the Kudus Simpang Tujuh Town Square, travelers can head north along the main Kudus–Colo road. Kajar Village serves as a convenient stopover for those traveling toward the Colo tourist area.
The location is accessible by both motorcycle and car. Roadside parking is available, and the stall provides seating for dine-in customers as well as a waiting area for takeout orders. Restroom facilities are also available.
The stall is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. WIB.
For customers looking to minimize wait times, the recommended visit window is between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. WIB. Wait times for fried orders may increase in the evening due to higher customer volume.
The timing of visits can be adjusted based on preference. Those wishing to dine in may prefer quieter hours, while those planning large-volume purchases should contact the management in advance.
The gethuk nyimut is prepared without preservatives, requiring customers to handle storage carefully.
Fried gethuk has a shelf life of up to one day. It is best consumed immediately, preferably while still warm, as the texture tends to harden once cooled.
Unfried or ready-to-fry gethuk remains fresh for about one day at room temperature. When stored in a sealed container in a refrigerator, the product can last for two to three days.
These constraints are the reason Mbah Yo's Gethuk does not currently offer long-distance shipping. Due to the product's limited shelf life, remote delivery is not yet an available service option.
Customers planning to purchase gethuk as a souvenir should account for transit time and intended consumption.
Kajar Village is a strategic stopover for tourists traveling to the Muria region. After purchasing gethuk nyimut, visitors can continue their journey to several nearby attractions.
The tomb of Sunan Muria is located approximately 10 to 15 minutes uphill from Kajar. Visitors can also extend their trip to the Colo tourism area and Montel Waterfall.
For visitors seeking authentic products from the Muria slopes, parijoto fruit is a popular choice. Meanwhile, Kajar's fern pecel offers a local dish featuring ferns served with a savory and spicy peanut sauce.
This route ensures that a trip to Kajar does not end with a meal. Gethuk nyimut serves as a staple of the journey, connecting local culinary delights, tourism activities, and explorations of the Muria slope region.
The growth of the gethuk industry in Kajar has generated demand for local labor and raw materials. These operations involve various roles, ranging from cassava suppliers and fern harvesters to food processors and stall staff.
However, cassava-based culinary businesses face ongoing challenges regarding supply availability and fluctuating prices. Listiana Dewi noted that the price of cassava can reach approximately Rp 80,000 per sack during certain periods.
The Gethuk Mbah Yo stall continues to source a portion of its cassava from its own garden, helping to stabilize supply during market price volatility.
The story of Kajar's gethuk nyimut extends beyond the Rp 10,000 price tag. There is a meticulous process before ten pieces of gethuk reach the consumer: the cassava is selected, cooked, mashed, shaped, filled, and fried only after an order is placed.
For visitors, the experience is simple: arrive in Kajar Village, select the desired flavor, wait for the gethuk to be fried, and enjoy it while warm.
For those buying in bulk, advance orders are recommended to ensure freshness. By timing the purchase correctly, the unique characteristics of Kajar's signature gethuk nyimut can be preserved. (HNR/mainkekudus)
