Local homemade meals still most popular
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Jakartans still prefer Indonesian food and homemade meals to break their fast, despite the many international restaurants and thriving franchise eateries available across the city.
For some Muslim families, the breaking of the fast is considered an important once-a-year occasion when they, hopefully, can sit and enjoy their favorite meals together.
And yes, everything is special during Ramadhan -- the waiting, the togetherness and even the chore of preparing the family's favorite snacks, drinks and dinner a few hours before sundown.
Although each family has its own unique tradition, in this multi-ethnic and culinary melting pot of Jakarta, the residents have developed a more Indonesian-specific menu with various kinds of jajanan pasar (traditional snacks), tajil (treats with sweet sauces or sweet drinks) and elaborate dishes from different parts of the country.
"In general, people break the fast with a couple of dates and hot tea or cendol (sweet iced drink with agar) or kolak (palm- sugar based drink with cassava, banana or sweet potato chunks) or other traditional drinks," said chef Bambang Hindratno, who specializes in Indonesian food at the Dharmawangsa Hotel, South Jakarta.
For this year's Ramadhan, the hotel kitchen at the Lobby Lounge of the executive Bimasena Club is dishing up a wide range of popular Indonesian drinks, snacks and food for breaking the fast. The hotel has created an Arabian ambience by pitching a tall tent in the restaurant and also serves one or two Mideast treats.
There is one popular jajanan pasar commonly served to break the fast -- sweet dates.
Dates, Bambang explained, was a must-have item for most Muslims.
The tradition of eating dates to break the fast can be traced back to the era of the Prophet Muhammad. It is said this sweet treat was the first food the Prophet had to break the fast.
"They are usually eaten plain, but nowadays one can find various treats made of dates and it is also popular as an ingredient in other delicacies," said Bambang, who is to hold an Indonesian food festival from Dec. 1 to Dec. 17 in Dubai.
After a simple snack to restore energy and quench their thirst after a long day of fasting, people observe the evening magrib prayer along with their families, friends and colleagues before heading back to the table for specially prepared heavier meals.
Many restaurants and hotels in the capital are also featuring these popular Indonesian dishes on their Ramadhan menus, as are small cafes in shopping centers.
"Dinner commonly consists of popular dishes from various parts of the country and rendang (beef cooked in chili paste and coconut milk) beef, lontong cap gomeh (rice cakes served with meat and vegetable side dishes and hard-boiled egg), soto (soup), gulai (chicken or lamb in curried sauce), opor ayam (chicken cooked in thick coconut milk) are just a few of the most popular dishes, often appearing on dinner tables at home and at hotel restaurants," said Bambang.
"Enjoying popular Indonesian home-cooking have become a popular way of breaking the fast in Jakarta. Serving two or three dishes from different regions at one meal is also common."
Apart from spending the breaking of the fast with family, Bambang said, Ramadhan is also a special time to be shared with friends and neighbors to strengthen bonds. Having friends and neighbors over to break the fast is also an established tradition among Indonesian Muslims.
There is one Ramadhan tradition that is slowly dying out in the bustling capital, forgotten by most of its residents whose hectic lifestyle seems to absorb all their time and energy. This tradition, however, is still alive and can be found in areas where communal bonds and relationships are still strong.
"It is the tradition of breaking the fast at neighborhood mosques, when locals gladly take turns preparing dishes to be shared with street children and other underprivileged members of society."