Tumpeng is a cone-shaped rice dish like mountain with its side dishes (vegetables and meat). Traditionally featured in the slamatan ceremony, the cone shape of rice is made by using cone-shaped weaved bamboo container. The rice itself could be plain steam rice, uduk rice (cooked with coconut milk), or yellow rice (uduk rice colored with kunyit (turmeric)).
The rice surrounded by assorted of Indonesian dishes, such as urap vegetables, fried chicken, empal gepuk (sweet and spicy fried beef), abon sapi (beef floss), semur (beef in sweet soy sauce), teri kacang (anchovy with peanuts), fried prawn, telur pindang (boiled marble egg), shredded omelette, tempe orek (sweet and dry fried tempeh), perkedel kentang (mashed potato fritters), perkedel jagung (corn fritters), sambal goreng ati (liver in chilli sauce), and many other things.
History
People in Java, Bali and Madura usually make Tumpeng to celebrate important event. However, all Indonesians are familiar with Tumpeng. The philosophy of Tumpeng is related to the geographical condition of Indonesia, especially Java as fertile island with numerous mountains and volcanos.
Tumpeng dated back to ancient Indonesian tradition that revered mountains as the abode of ancestors and gods. The cone-shaped rice meant to mimics the holy mountain. The feast served as somekind of thanks giving for the abundance of harvest or any other blessings. Because of its festivities and celebrative value, up until now tumpeng sometimes used as Indonesian counterpart of birthday cake.
In gratitude ceremony (syukuran or slametan), after the people pray, the top of tumpeng is cut and delivered to the most important person. He or she may be the group leader, the oldest person, or the beloved one. Then, all people in the ceremony enjoy the tumpeng together. With tumpeng, people express the gratitude to God and appreciate togetherness and harmony.
Today the dishes which accompany tumpeng can be of the host discretion, it can be vegetarian, to bbq seafood. Traditionally there should be a balance between vegetables, meat, seafood. The composition of a traditional Javanese tumpeng is more complex because the elements must balance one another according to the Javanese belief. In 2009 Garuda Indonesia undergone a new concept of service called "Indonesian Hospitality".
Mini Nasi Tumpeng Nusantara and Martebe juice (marquisa and terung Belanda) become signature dish of Garuda Indonesia. The building of Suharto's Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah Jakarta, took shape of tumpeng.
0 comments:
Post a Comment