Food becomes increasingly important during Ramadhan

Food becomes increasingly important during Ramadhan

JAKARTA (JP): To practicing Moslems, fasting does not merely
mean abstaining from eating and drinking during the daylight
hours. Fasting, in its broadest sense, involves an exercise of
one's mind and one's soul. When Moslems fast, they should keep
negative thoughts from their minds and control their emotions.
They are not even supposed to think too seriously about what they
are going to indulge in after breaking their fast.

Nevertheless, because eating is one of the most basic needs of
any living being, food invariably gains more importance than
usual as we enter Ramadhan, the fasting month. That is why star-
rated hotels and upscale restaurants PROVIDE special buka puasa
(breaking of the fast) menus during Ramadhan.

Even for those who do not normally frequent expensive
restaurants or hotel coffee shops, the choices are never limited.
Popular Padang restaurants, such as Restoran Sederhana in Pasar
Sunan Giri, Rawamangun, and Sepakat in Blok M, still provide
their much sought after dishes throughout most of Ramadhan,
although they are generally closed in the mornings and early
afternoons.

At 3 p.m., they begin selling nasi bungkus (rice and various
accompaniments wrapped in banana leaves or brown paper) so that
people can reward themselves with their favorite dishes as they
break their fast.

Even though it is still more than three hours before the
actual breaking of the fast time, people start buying nasi
bungkus because if you try to get your nasi bungkus at about 5:30
p.m. in one of these top Padang restaurants, you will probably
have to stand in long queues. Even then, chances are you can no
longer get the favorite dishes Padang restaurants offer, such as
ayam panggang (roasted chicken curry) or gulai otak (cow's brain
curry).

By the time the bedug (drum at a mosque) beats, Jakarta's
favorite Padang restaurants will be packed with patrons.

Commercial

Supermarkets and food courts never fail to take advantage of
the fasting month. During buka puasa, people fasting will choose
sweet snacks and juice drinks to replenish their bodies calories
and liquids. Favorite appetizers or desserts during Ramadhan --
depending which one they can get a hold of first -- include kolak
pisang (bananas cooked in coconut milk and palm sugar), cendol
(green colored rice flour strips in coconut milk served with
melted palm sugar and shaved ice) and fruit juices.

Even simple iced syrups are highly welcomed during the
breaking of the fast, as long as they can soothe dry throats and
refresh the body.

At Food Plaza, located in the basement of Pasaraya Blok M,
every buka puasa is like party time, and extra hard work for the
staff. According to Iis Handayani, the Plaza's supervisor, they
have added 800 chairs to accommodate the crowds, bringing the
total amount of chairs available to 2,000. Even with these
additional chairs, a lot of people still have to remain standing
while eating.

The most popular dishes and drinks at Food Plaza during
breaking of the fast are the ones that can be served quickly,
such as lontong sayur (steamed rice cakes and vegetables),
ketupat (rice cakes steamed in woven palm leaf pouches), kolak
pisang, and fruit juices. Asked whether they have enough manpower
to handle the crowd, Iis said that Food Plaza employs additional
staff on contract basis during Ramadhan.

Ramadhan not only bring more sales of foodstuffs to
supermarkets, food courts and restaurants, but also more job
opportunities for people seeking work.

According to Golden Truly's president director Pak H.E.
Dachlan, sales of sugar, flour, and rice show significant
increases in this mid-range supermarket. Golden Truly also sell
imported dates. Full of calories, dates are a great favorite
during Ramadhan.

As the end of Ramadhan nears, which is marked by Idul Fitri,
people who stay in Jakarta and other Indonesian cities start to
worry about their stockpiles at home.

The week before, as well as the week after Idul Fitri are
typically the weeks where households will have to be maintained
without the help of housemaids, as the majority of these house
helpers go back in their villages. Are canned and other ready-to-
serve food in higher demand? Pak Dachlan says most certainly,
adding that biscuits, other types of cookies and sweet foodstuffs
seem to be a must during Ramadhan and Idul Fitri and sell very
well.

Bakeries also offer special items for those who are fasting.
At Regina's Bakery, you can drop by and buy kolak pisang or agar
agar (jelly) in plastic cups. There are also traditional snacks
available, such as klepon (steamed rice cake filled with palm
sugar) and nagasari (rice cake filled with a slice of banana
wrapped in banana leaves).

Michael Gondokusumo from Regina's Bakery says that as Idul
Fitri gets closer, more and more orders for Lebaran cakes are
taken at Regina's outlets. Five days before the great day, his
employees will be working overtime, perhaps all night, to churn
out enough cakes to meet customer orders.

On Idul Fitri, when respectful younger people pay a visit to
their seniors or subordinates come to wish Minal Aidin Walfa'izin
(congratulations offered after Ramadhan) to their bosses, the
pinnacle of festivities will be reached. The most common dish in
every house will be ketupat and opor ayam (chicken cooked in
coconut cream and spices). Rendang (spicy beef dish that has been
slowly cooked until the coconut cream evaporates), a renown dish
from Padang, is another favorite because it can be kept for a
long time without having to be reheated. That is very important
to Indonesian households because the majority of people in the
cities at this time are without help.

When Idul Fitri is over, all will become normal once again.
Prices will level off, and so will our appetites for food
specialities. That is, until the next Ramadhan comes along. (zia)