Hi everybody! Are any of you celebrating a special day today? Birthday, getting a job, your wife is pregnant, or some other special day? Congratulations to all of you.
In Indonesia, communities on the islands of Java, Bali and Madura, when they celebrate a special moment, they usually make nasi tumpeng. The philosophy of nasi tumpeng is closely related to the geographical conditions of Indonesia, especially the island of Java, which is full of volcanoes. Tumpeng comes from the ancient tradition of Indonesian people who glorify the mountain as the dwelling place of the hyang or ancestral spirits (ancestors).
In ancient times, Indonesian people still embraced Hinduism, so influenced by Hindu culture, rice was molded to form a cone imitating the shape of the holy mountain Mahameru where the gods and goddesses resided.
However, after Islam entered Indonesia, the philosophy of nasi tumpeng was also associated with Javanese Islamic philosophy and was considered an ancestral message regarding an appeal to God Almighty. According to Javanese Islamic tradition, “Tumpeng” is an acronym in Javanese: yen metu kudu sing mempeng (if you go out, you must really do it).
There are no standard side dishes that accompany the nasi tumpeng. But usually the side dishes are perkedel kentang, omelet, cucumber, fried chicken, tempe, serundeng, long bean urap, salted fish or fried catfish.
In understanding the traditional meaning of tumpeng, it is recommended that the side dishes used consist of land animals (chicken or beef), marine animals (catfish, milkfish or anchovies) and vegetables (kangkung, spinach or long beans).
This nasi tumpeng tradition is usually done when a family member has a birthday, or other celebration as a form of gratitude to God Almighty.
If you visit Bali and are about to celebrate a happy moment, you can order nasi tumpeng for the celebration. There are many caterers selling nasi tumpeng or you can even order at the hotel or villa where you are staying. You usually celebrate birthdays with birthday cakes, when you vacation in Bali you can celebrate birthdays with nasi tumpeng.
[…] Yellow rice is cooked with turmeric and some other spices that make it taste delicious. Yellow rice is usually used for nasi tumpeng, it’s a traditional style to celebrate a special event. If you want to know more about nasi tumpeng, you can read here Nasi Tumpeng For Your Special Day […]