Recipes from Indonesia

Indonesia is a country made up of over 13,000 islands, inhabited by nearly 300 ethnic groups speaking 250 or more distinct languages. Because of the spices available in the Moluccas and because of its strategic location, other civilizations throughout the centuries have tried to establish a foothold here. For cooking, the result is a cuisine that mixes the best of Asian traditions, especially from India and China, with the ingredients and cooking methods of Pacific Islanders. One Indonesian tradition, the rice table (known in Dutch as "rijstaffel") is a meal prepared for celebrations of all kinds. Steamed rice serves as the meal’s foundation, with a variety of vegetable and meat dishes and spicy sauces accompanying it. Check your local library for Indonesian recipes for this kind of meal.