City Of Dream Jakarta Indonesia Free E-Book

City Of Dream (Jakarta) E-Book
By Mark Medley

The City of Jakarta is often described as the "Big Durian," by visitors astonished by the shear size, and the diversity of its people. 

Inside the "City of Dreams," are a collection of true stories that may amaze, amuse or simply confuse you. 

Tales of a megacity on the move- the people who survive in this City, and those who choose to remain in an often very surreal World. 

People whose everyday lives and dreams are often overlooked- who do make up the true heart of the city called Jakarta. 

Creating an extraordinary journey into a World, you never thought existed.

Download E-Book

Spekkoek in Indonesia or Kue Lapis legit

Spekkoek

Spekkoek
Spekkoek, plain and with pandan
Alternative names	Kue lapis legit, spekuk
Type	Cake
Place of origin	Netherlands and Indonesia
Main ingredients	Egg yolks, butter, sugar,cinnamon, clove, mace andanise
Cookbook:Spekkoek   Spekkoek

Spekkoek (spekuk in Indonesian), also more popularly called (kue) lapis legit in Indonesia, is a Dutch-Indonesian cake. It was developed during colonial times in the Dutch East Indies and may have been based on Dutch cake recipes using local ingredients.^{[citation needed]} The firm-textured cake is a Indo (Dutch-Indonesian) version of the European spit cake, though unlike for instance German Baumkuchen, it is not baked on a rotating spit. It contains a mix of spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove,mace and anise. The cake is very rich – a 20 cm × 20 cm (7.9 in × 7.9 in) cake can contain up to thirty egg yolks, 500 grams (18 oz) of butter, and 400 grams (14 oz) of sugar.

Lapis legit is enjoyed during Chinese New Year, Eid ul-Fitr and Christmas celebrations. It is also served or given as gifts during many local festivities such as at birthday parties and weddings. In the Netherlands, the sliced cake is traditionally served for dessert inrijsttafel.^[1]

source wikipedia

Free E-Book Indonesia Food Recipe

Free E-Book Indonesia Food Recipe

Download Free E-Book Indonesia Food Recipe

Chicken with Balinese Spices Ayam Betutu Recipe Indonesia

Chicken with Balinese Spices: Ayam Betutu

Ingredients :

4 pounds fresh chicken
Betutu spice, recipe follows
Salt and pepper
Tamarind water (4 or 5 strips of deseeded tamarind pulp dissolved in 1 cup water), to soften
Banana leaves (or greased parchment paper and aluminum foil)
3 salam leaves (can substitute bay leaves)
Serving suggestion: Coconut Pandan Rice: Nasi Gurih, recipe follows

Betutu spice:

1/2 cup peeled shallots
1/4 cup peeled garlic
2 tablespoons fresh tumeric
2 tablespoons fresh peeled ginger
2 tablespoons galangal
2 tablespoons wild ginger
3 whole candlenuts
2 tablespoons Balinese 1000-spice
2 tablespoons fresh hot chile peppers seeded and cleaned
4 tablespoons shrimp paste
2 tablespoons finely chopped peanuts
1/4 cup coconut oil
Coconut Rice: Nasi Gurih:
2 1/2 cups jasmine or Thai rice
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 blade lemongrass
4 salam leaves
2 Bali or kaffir lime leaves
2 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Salt
Directions
Preheat grill.

Massage chicken with betutu spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and tamarind water. Wrap chicken completely with banana leaves or greased parchment paper and then foil. Place on grill for 30 minutes.

Betutu spice:
Grind shallots, garlic, tumeric, ginger, galangal, wild ginger, candlenuts, 1000-spice, chile peppers, shrimp paste, and peanuts in a food processor. Saute paste with coconut oil.

Coconut Rice: Nasi Gurih:
Wash rice until water is clear and then drain. Put rice in pot with coconut milk, chicken stock, garlic, lemongrass, salam leaves, and bali leaves. Season with salt and stir well. Put on top of stove with medium heat and let it boil. Put in rice cooker and cook until soft. Remove and disregard the lime leaves, garlic, lemongrass and salam leaves.

Read more at: foodnetwork

Traditional crackers in Indonesia

Snacks

Kue

Indonesian snacks, such as tahu isi,pisang goreng, risoles, timpan, lemper, and kue pisang.

Indonesia has a rich collection of snacks called kue (cakes and pastry), both savoury and sweet. Traditional kue usually made from rice flour, coconut milk, coconut sugar and mostly steamed or fried instead of baked. Traditional kue are popularly known as kue basah ("wet kue") that has moisty and soft texture because of rich coconut milk. The kue kering (dried kue) is local name for cookies.

Indonesia has rich variations of kue, both native-origin or foreign-influenced. Popular ones include Bika Ambon, kue pisang, kue cubit,klepon, onde-onde, nagasari, kue pandan, lupis, lemang, lemper, lontong, tahu isi, getuk, risoles, pastel, lumpia, bakpia, lapis legit, soes,poffertjes and bolu kukus.

Traditional crackers

Krupuks in vacuum tin cans.

Traditional crackers are called krupuk, which are usually consumed as a crunchy snack or to accompany main meals. These crispy snacks sometimes are added upon the main meal to provide crunchy texture; several Indonesian dishes such as gado-gado, karedok, ketoprak, lontong sayur, nasi uduk, asinan and bubur ayam are known to require specific type of krupuk as toppings. There are wide variations of krupuk available across Indonesia. The most popular ones would be krupuk udang (prawn crackers) and krupuk kampung orkrupuk putih (cassava crackers).

Other popular types include krupuk kulit (dried buffalo-skin crackers), emping melinjo (gnetum gnemon crackers), and kripik (chips or crisps), such as kripik pisang (banana chips) and keripik singkong (Cassava chips), rempeyek, is a flour-based cracker with brittle of peanuts, anchovies or shrimp bound by crispy flour cracker, rengginang or intip (Javanese) ia rice cracker made from sun-dried and deep fried leftover rice.

source wikipedia

Restaurant and warung in Indonesia

Eating establishment

In Indonesia, dishes are served from a fine dining restaurant in five-star hotel, a simple restaurant downtown, humble street side warung under the tent, to street hawker peddling their gerobak (cart) or pikulan (carrying using rod).

Restaurant and warung

Floating warung boat attached to the bank of Musi river, Palembang, selling local favourite such as pempek.

In Indonesia rumah makan means restaurant, while warung means small and humble shop. From these eating establishments, a warteg (warung Tegal) and rumah makan Padang are particularly notable for their ubiquitousness in Indonesian cities and towns.

A warteg or warung tegal is a more specific warung nasi, established by Javanese people from the town Tegal in Central Java. They sells favourite Javanese dishes and rice, the wide array of pre-cooked dishes are arranged in glass windowed cupboard. They are well known on selling modestly-priced meals, popular among working class such as low-skilled labours in the cities. While rumah makan Padang is aPadang restaurant, a smaller scale Padang eateries might be called warung Padang.

Most of Indonesian restaurants are based upon specific regional cuisine tradition. For example rumah makan Padang are definitely Minangkabau cuisine. Sundanese saung restaurant or colloquically called as kuring restaurants are selling Sundanese dishes. This includes Bataks' lapo, Manado and Balinese restaurants. While other restaurants might specifically featuring their best specific dishes, for example Ayam goreng Mbok Berek, Bakmi Gajah Mada, Satay Senayan, Rawon Setan Surabaya, Pempek Pak Raden, etc.

Street food

Soto mie cart street vendor

Street and street-side vendors are common, in addition to hawkers peddling their goods on bicycles or carts. These carts are known aspedagang kaki lima — named after the 5-foot (1.5 m) wide footpaths in Indonesia. (However, numerous people say they are named 'five feet' after the three feet of the cart and the two feet of the vendor.) These food hawkers on carts or bicycles might be travelling on streets, approaching potential buyers through residential areas whilst announcing their presence, or stationing themselves on a packed and busy street side, setting simple seating under a small tent and waiting for customers. Many of these have their own distinctive call or songs to announce their wares. For example, the bakso seller will hit the side of a soup bowl, whereas mie ayam is announced by hitting a wood block.

Bakso (meatball) seller in Bandung

In most cities, it is common to see Chinese dishes such as bakpao (steamed buns with sweet and savoury fillings), bakmie (noodles), and bakso (meatballs) sold by street vendors and restaurants, often adapted to become Indonesian-Chinese cuisine. One common adaptation is that pork is rarely used since the majority of Indonesians are Muslims. Other popular Indonesian street food and snacks are siomay and batagor (abbreviated from Bakso Tahu Goreng), pempek (deep fried fish cake), bubur ayam (chicken congee), bubur kacang hijau (mung beans porridge), satay, nasi goreng (English: fried rice), soto mie(soto noodle), mie ayam (chicken noodle) and mie goreng (fried noodle), taoge goreng (mung bean sprouts and noodle salad), asinan(preserved vegetables or fruits salad), laksa, kerak telor (spicy omelette), gorengan (Indonesian assorted fritters) and Bakwan (fried dish of beansprouts and batter).

Indonesian street snacks include iced and sweet beverages, such as es cendol or es dawet, es teler, es cincau, es doger, es campur, es potong, and es puter. Indonesian cakes and cookies are often called jajanan pasar (market munchies).

source wikipedia

History about fried rice in Indonesia

History

A cook making nasi goreng in a food market in Kota Kinabalu, Eastern Malaysia

Microwaved frozen Nasi Goreng sold in7-Eleven store in Jakarta, Indonesia

Nasi goreng had the same beginnings as other versions of fried rice; as a way to avoid wasting rice. Frying the rice could prevent the propagation of dangerous microbes, especially in pre-refrigeration technology Indonesia, and also avoid the need to throw out precious food.^[1] Nasi goreng is traditionally served at home for breakfast and it is traditionally made out of leftover rice from the night before. Besides ingredients like shallot, tomato, pepper and chili, the rice is fried with scraps of chicken or beef; usually leftovers from a chicken or beef dish.^[6]

Nasi goreng is often described as Indonesia's twist on fried rice.^[1] And as with other fried rice recipes in Asia, it has been suggested that it can trace its origin from Southern Chinese fried rice. However it is not clear when Indonesians began to adopt the Chinese fried rice and create their own version. The Chinese influences upon Indonesian cuisine can be seen in mie goreng that appeared simultaneously with the introduction of the stir frying technique that required the use of a Chinese wok. The trade between China and the Indonesian archipelago flourished from the era of Srivijaya around the 10th century and intensified in the Majapahit era around the 15th century. By that time Chinese immigrants had begun to settle in the archipelago, bringing along with them their culture andcuisine. Chinese people usually favor freshly cooked hot food, and in their culture it is taboo to throw away uneaten foodstuffs. As a result, the previous day's leftover rice was often recooked in the morning. Previously, Indonesians probably simply sun-dried the leftover rice to make intip or rengginang (rice cracker), the dried rice also could be ground to make rice flour.

Nasi goreng is ubiquitous in Indonesia, and also popular in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, as well as the Netherlands through its colonial ties with Indonesia. In Philippines, nasi goreng known as Sinangag or garlic fried rice. Today microwave-heated frozennasi goreng is available in convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven and Lawson in Indonesia.

Ingredients

Nasi goreng is distinguished from other Asian fried rice recipes by its generous amount of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), and the taste is stronger and spicier compared to Chinese fried rice. Nasi goreng often includes krupuk and bawang goreng (fried shallots) or (fried onions) to give a crispier texture.

The main ingredients of nasi goreng include pre-cooked rice, sweet soy sauce, salt, garlic, shallot, chilli pepper, spring onions,nutmeg, turmeric, vegetable oil, onions, palm sugar, ginger garlic paste, and slices of cucumber and tomato for garnishing. Some recipes may add black pepper, terasi (shrimp paste), fish sauce, or powdered broth as a seasoning and taste enhancer. Eggs might be mixed into fried rice or fried separately, either as telur ceplok/telur mata sapi (sunny side up eggs), or telur dadar (omelette), and also telur rebus (boiled eggs). Originally optional, the addition of fried egg is often named as nasi goreng spesial (pakai telur) or special fried rice topped with fried egg.

Variations

There is no single recipe of nasi goreng, as every fried rice dish with certain mixtures, additions, ingredients, and toppings could lead to another recipe of nasi goreng. Usually, in Indonesian households, the ingredients of nasi goreng to be prepared for daily breakfast are the leftovers of the previous day's meals preserved in the refrigerator, with fresh vegetables and eggs added. The basic ingredients of nasi goreng are rice and sliced or ground bumbu (spices) mixture of shallot, garlic, pepper, salt, tomato ketchup, sambal or chili sauce, and usually sweet soy sauce. Some variants may add saus tiram (oyster sauce), ang-ciu (Chinese cooking red wine), kecap ikan (fish sauce), or kecap inggris (likeWorcestershire sauce). The texture of leftover cooked rice is considered more suitable for nasi goreng than that of newly cooked rice, as freshly cooked rice is too moist and soft.

In most parts of Indonesia, nasi goreng is cooked with ample amounts of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) that created golden brownish color and the flavour is mildly sweet. However in other places such as Eastern Indonesia (Sulawesi and Maluku), the sweet soy sauce are usually absent and replaced by bottled tomato and chili sauce, creating reddish-colored nasi goreng. Some variants of nasi goreng, such as salted fish or teri medan (Medan anchovy) nasi goreng, are not using kecap manis at all, creating lighter color similar to Chinese fried rice or Japanese chahan. The most common nasi goreng usually uses chicken and egg, however some variants are usually named after its additional ingredients, such as nasi goreng kambing (with goat meat), nasi goreng pete/petai (with green stinky bean), nasi goreng jamur (with mushroom), nasi goreng sapi (with beef), nasi goreng udang (with shrimp), nasi goreng seafood (with seafood, such as squid, fish and shrimp), nasi goreng ikan asin (with salted fish), nasi goreng teri medan (with Medan's anchovy), etc.

Condiments:

• Bawang goreng: fried shallot, spinkled upon nasi goreng
• Kerupuk: various types of crackers, usually emping or prawn crackers
• Acar: pickles made from vinegar preserved cucumber, shallots, carrot, and small chilli pepper
• Sambal: chilli sauce

Nasi goreng is known as fried rice variants commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. In Malaysia and Singapore, variations of nasi goreng include nasi goreng kampung (fried with anchovies/leftover fried fish, kangkong), nasi goreng USA (with fried egg and stirred fried beef in chili sauce), nasi goreng pataya (fried rice in an omelette envelope), nasi goreng ikan masin (fried with salted fish), nasi goreng seafood (fried with prawn, calamari slices and crab sticks) and nasi goreng belacan (fried with leftover sambal belacan and fish or other meats). There are similar fried rice dishes from neighboring countries, such as Philippines style fried rice called sinangag, and Thai fried ricefrom Thailand.

source wikipedia

Indonesian Street food

Indonesian Street food

Indonesia is a country of surprises. While many have visited Bali and been smitten by the friendliness of the local people and its beaches, mountainous interior, and .......yes, all right, the shopping, few tourists venture to the west, to Java, and particularly the often maligned city of Jakarta. Perhaps the best place to start is in Old Batavia, the old town, close to the waterfront. It reminds us that Jakarta had been settled as part of the Dutch East India Company’ expansion into the Spice Islands, as these lush and fertile islands were once called. The square is filled with people out enjoying the sunshine, some sketching the historic buildings, some (of course) picking up a snack from  the street stalls, like this one serving hot battered breads. As in most Asian countries, the wok has a multitude of uses. To one side of the square, a restaurant spills out onto the pavement, as places do around the world. Indonesia's cuisine has been heavily influenced by early Dutch and Portuguese colonists. Being at the crosswires of the spice trade brought ships with crew from every country in the world, and while Java was instrumental in changing the cuisines of many countries, so too was theirs affected with foodstuffs and techniques that came with the visitors. But first let's meet some of the major players in Javanese food: Petai beans - you'll see these everywhere in markets and they are definitely something of an acquired taste. Some say they smell like durian but they are highly popular in Southeast Asia and are often chopped up and added to stir fries. Where would this cuisine (let's face it, any cuisine!) be without chillies? Watch out for locals chewing them between mouthfuls of fried tofu. And in case you are wondering, this New World produce came here with traders who were more than happy to swap these fiery critters for handfuls of black peppercorns, nutmeg, cloves and much more. Durian, the king of fruits, is as popular here as it is in other south-east Asian countries. If you can't face the smell, there are many other fruits (buah) in this country. The local grey-fleshed passionfruit, the makisa is especially fragrant and delicious. Look for jambu (a sort of guava) and of course, coconut! Ask for Kelapa muda and the stall owner will whack of the top of a coconut and plunk a straw into the juicy cavity, so that you can enjoy one of the freshest, cleanest, most refreshing drinks on the planet. And yes, they make ice-cream with it too! If you had to nme this fruit, what would you call it? Most probably what the locals did - snake fruit orsalak. The flesh is sourish and not to everyone's taste although it can be quite refreshing. Peel off the fine membrane over the fruit as that can make the fruit taste quite astringent .                     Although not native to south-east Asia, corn is always popular and and it's an easy and healthy snack, especially when it comes ready-wrapped like this.  One of the most difficult things when eating in another country is decoding the different names of dishes. Fortunately street vendors often thoughtfully provide a picture on their signs. Even if they don't, you can usually get an idea by looking at the ingredients laid out ready to go - and if all that fails, wait until a local orders and watch carefully how the dish is prepared. Less risky, as far as tummy troubles go, is to only order food that is cooked at a high heat to order. Here Pisang roti bakar means banana bread toasted, or is that banana and toast? That's half the fun,isn't it? Nasi Goreng is as close to a national dish as you can get in Indonesia, fried rice, usually topped with a fried egg. Nasi means rice, goreng is fried. Kampoeng  is 'village', ayam means chicken - see how easy it is?Kambing is goat, campur means 'to mix'. Udang are prawns, and no, Pete is not the cook's name -pete refers to those long green rather whiffy beans pictures above. Baso (or bakso) is a meatball - meat, fish, whatever the cook decides to use – Often served in a broth.Tahu is tofu. Risoles are not meat patties (rissoles) here they are pancake like spring rolls with a savoury filling.  And as you can see they are very popular! It's the laksa of Indonesia, its pho. Nutritious, full of flavour, satisfying. The main square of Old Batavia is the perfect place for hawkers to set up their stalls (warung), usually on wheels so they can ride home at the end of a long day. Transport and employment in one! Although some have handles like a wheelbarrow, in which case they need to be dragged somewhere and kept safely. Eggs (telur) are a valuable source of protein And these are duck eggs and the vendor (below) assured us that this is served at New Year. Kerak Telor is a dish from the Betawi people of Jakarta – a traditional spicy omelette made from chicken or duck eggs mixed with rice and spice, and served with a coconut. It is considered as a snack and not as a main dish. It is served from hawker's carts and commonly popular during the annual Jakarta Fair. source foodandtravel

Visit to East Java Indonesia

Visit to East Java Indonesia 

East Java might be the least populated area in Java island, but its charm and unique terrain will captivate its visitors. Capital of East Java province, Surabaya, is a cosmopolitan city and you can find any comfortable surroundings and facilities there. However within a short trip you might be tempted to enjoy the natural charms such as climbing Mt. Bromo and enjoying fabulous sunrise there or probably trying to conquer Mount Semeru, the highest mountain in Java (about 3676 meters above sea level).

Some parks are available for those who prefer natural surroundings. An island on the eastern part of Java called Madura is also famous for its distinct culture and bull races of karapan sapi, usually held in August and September every year.
History
The Majapahit Dynasty, based in and arround East java, began the foundations of an empire that was to dominate the entire Indonesian archipelago, the Malay Peninsula and part of the Philippines for hundreds of years. This was the beginning of profitable trade relations with China, Cambodia, Siam, Burma and Vietnam. As the power in Central Java declined in the 10th century, powerful kingdoms rose in East Java to fill the power vacuum. During the reign of King Erlangga, both East Java and Bali enjoyed lucrative trade with the surrounding islands, and an artistic and intellectual renaissance. Part of the Mahabarata epic were translated and re-interpreted to conform to an East Javanese philosophy and view of life, and it was from this area that East Java inherited most of its temple art.

Entry
The province is efficiently connected to the rest of Java by good roads, regular trains, and air service between Surabaya and other major cities in the country including Denpasar on Bali, which only takes about half an hour.

People & Culture
East Javanese are known for their outspoken manner and loud voice. They are the type who would talk to strangers and help them if need be. They tend to be frank and enjoy a good conversation.

Cuisine
East Javanese people love to eat and you can enjoy various dishes while you're around. From sea food variety to beef and chicken, each dish is cooked lovingly and with great care. Make sure to try soto Madura (chicken soup Maduran style) and sate Madura (roasted skewered chicken with tasty peanut sauce) and avoid the sambal or chili if you're not into spicy food.

source indonesia-tourism

A Historical Glimpse Of Indonesia

A Historical Glimpse Of Indonesia

The first known hominid inhabitant of Indonesia was the so-called "Java Man", or Homo erectus, who lived here half a million years ago. Some 60,000 years ago, the ancestors of the present-day Papuans move eastward through these islands, eventually reaching New Guinea and Australia some 30-40,000 years ago. Much later, in about the fourth millennium B.C., they were followed by the ancestors of the modern-day Malays, Javanese and other Malayo-Polynesian groups who now make up the bulk of Indonesia's population. Trade contracts with India, China and the mainland of Southeast Asia brought outside cultural and religious influences to Indonesia. One of the first Indianized empires, known to us now as Sriwijaya, was located on the coast of Sumatra around the strategic straits of Malacca, serving as the hub of a trading network that reached to many parts of the archipelago more than a thousand years ago. On neighboring Java, large kingdoms of the interior of the island erected scores of exquisite of religious monuments, such as Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world. The last and most powerful of these early Hindu-Javanese kingdoms, the 14th century Majapahit Empire, once controlled and influenced much of what is now known as Indonesia, maintaining contacts with trading outposts as far away as the west coast of Papua New Guinea.

Indian Muslim traders began spreading Islam in Indonesia in the eighth and ninth centuries. By the time Marco Polo visited North Sumatra at the end of the 13th century, the first Islamic states were already established there. Soon afterwards, rulers on Java's north coast adopted the new creed and conquered the Hindu-based Majapahit Empire in the Javanese hinterland. The faith gradually spread throughout archipelago, and Indonesia is today the world's largest Islamic nation. Indonesia's abundant spices first brought Portuguese merchants to the key trading port of Malacca in 1511. Prized for their flavor, spices such as cloves, nutmeg and mace were also believed to cure everything from the plague to venereal disease, and were literally worth their weight in gold. The Dutch eventually wrested control of the spice trade from Portuguese, and the tenacious Dutch East India Company (known by initials VOC) established a spice monopoly which lasted well into the 18th century. During the 19th century, the Dutch began sugar and coffee cultivation on Java, which was soon providing three-fourths of the world supply of coffee. By the turn of the 20th century, nationalist stirring, brought about by nearly three centuries of oppressive colonial rule, began to challenge the Dutch presence in Indonesia.

A four-year guerilla war led by nationalists against the Dutch on Java after World War II, along with successful diplomatic maneuverings abroad, helped bring about independence. The Republic of Indonesia, officially proclaimed on August 17th, 1945, gained sovereignty four years later. During the first two decades of independence, the republic was dominated by the charismatic figure of Sukarno, one of the early nationalists who had been imprisoned by the Dutch. General (ret.) Soeharto eased Sukarno from power in 1967. Indonesia's economy was sustained throughout the 1970's, almost exclusively by oil export. The Asian financial crisis, which broke out in mid-1997, paralyzed the Indonesian economy with the rupiah losing 80% of its value against the US dollar at the peak of the turmoil. On May 21, 1998, Soeharto resigned after 32 years in power and was replaced by B.J. Habibie following bloody violence and riots. Indonesia held its first democratic election in October 1999, which put Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid in the role of president.

source idindo