Indonesian Street Fares

Sooo..I am known with my random excuses for throwing a party. This weekend, Indonesia's Independence day on the 17th - friends get together is in order. On top of that, we bought a bright orange pendant light, Canada finally won few medals (AFTER Indonesia won theirs!!), scored a nice work gig, our very good friend just found out that she is pregnant - see...all these events worth celebrating, yes?

We had lontong & sate kacang (rice rolls and satay with peanut sauce), kroket (croquettes), lemper (sticky rice with chicken floss), risoles (risole), perkedel jagung (corn fritters) and the cold rolls. Dessert was dadar pandan isi inti kelapa (pandan crepe filled with shredded coconut). Recipes will follow, one at a time. Or I'd feel as if I am reliving the food again - and I am still stuffed from last night!

Anyway, the menu is pretty much street hawkers 'traditional' food (for the exception of Vietnamese rolls, it was made by special request); food easily found on stalls along the road or push cart on the street. Eat there standing or sitting on the bench. Or, take home in banana leaves (lined with newspaper or brown waxed paper), or tiny clear plastic bag. Park the car, roll down the window, call out the order. Else, you would hear familiar sounds outside the comfort of home (sounds made out from hitting stick to bowl, bell, spatula to pot, or as simple as the name of food being shout out loud by the vendors 'SATE SATE'), which then involves running out from house in flipflops, wave frantically signaling the person. Mmmhhmmhhmmhh.


To keep the theme, everybody had to eat on banana leaves (placed over plate). They got a kick of it and less soaking, scrubbing dishes for me - just quick rinse!! (Lazy host that I am!). I was tempted to go all out and just do it 'pincuk' style - banana leaves made into a somewhat lope sided cone shape, secured with toothpick on one side. Eat it by holding the boat on your palm. Utensils? Pair of sate skewers. Vik was terrified. White sofa, white table, white rugs, white chairs. :)