Cooking Abroad

Berjibaku Demi Makanan Indonesia

berjibaku-demi-makanan-indonesia

Looking for Indonesian food with authentic flavor is not easy for me.

Since childhood, I was already familiar with Indonesian cuisine dish, because it was born and raised in Indonesia. Our country consisting of thousands of islands from Sabang to Merauke is indeed rich in flavor. In fact we can get to know various cities in Indonesia through its food.

Nusantara cuisine can be likened to a fleet of hundreds, even thousands, plates. Starting from mi Aceh, satai meadow, pempek, soto Betawi, Empal barrel, warm, rawon, betutu duck, fish woku, until Coto Makassar and many more.

Until now, when I lived in America, specifically the city of Portland, the scent of the archipelago cuisine is always tickle the nose. It's just difficult to find Indonesian cuisine with flavors like hometown, in cities with populations of Indonesian people are not as much as other major cities in the US (eg Los Angeles, San Francisco or in the state of Texas). In Portland, Indonesian restaurant can be counted on the fingers. That is, one by one out of business because the demand is less.

In the past when I was in Indonesia I often get bored with Indonesian food, so settled on the continent that separated the Pacific Ocean, I always miss home cooking and special snacks homeland.

In the past, I often wonder about the food from other countries, such as Turkey, Lebanon, Korea, Japan, Italy, and France. Alternatively, the typical Chinese menu in the restaurant, such as Shanghainese cuisine, Cantonese, Hokkien and many more. In Indonesia, I also never cook Indonesian food itself because there is maid or mother cook.

Now, I can cook from ribs penyet, soto Betawi, rawon, chicken curry, sambal fried banana, coffè, to desserts such as cakes and porridge lopis marrow. My mother was shocked when I send pictures of the food into his smartphone. There are many ups and downs while serving Indonesian menu at the shoreline, especially in countries that strict about the standards of hygiene and food ingredients. Banana leaves and pandan leaves to make a cake lopis nothing fresh, but frozen. Gula Java for pulp marrow had gone half years in all Asian supermarkets. Rumors, because it is considered dirty. Artificial palm sugar neighboring countries, such as Vietnam and Thailand, are not as good as Java sugar.

On the shoreline, is also hard to find scent satai from roadside carts. No more artisan dumplings touring bicycle ride. Or, food stall serving mixed rice complete with the tasty flavor. I was so often blushed, laugh at yourself who used always cook Indonesian food with complicated reasons. Who prefer to cook spaghetti at home because it is practical. In fact, now, when away from home, I actually struggled in the American kitchen. My capital is every instant seasoning with 2-3 times the price, banana hunted with difficulty, and a variety of tropical leaves in frozen packs, which was purchased from the Asian supermarket is almost an hour drive from home. All that for one thing: miss home cooking.

That's why, when gathered with fellow Indonesian friends to celebrate a special day, bringing Indonesian dishes such as ready-made liability. Here, I and friends celebrate Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, and Eid with various Indonesian menu. Even the typical Thanksgiving meal, usually celebrated with roast turkey, we replace it with grilled chicken.