Rijsttafel

Rijsttafel ( RY-stah-fəl, Dutch: [ˈrɛistaːfəl] literally "rice table") is an elaborate Indonesian meal adapted by the Dutch from the hidang presentation of nasi padang from the Padang region of West Sumatra. It consists of many (forty is not an unusual number) side dishes in small portions, accompanied by rice prepared in several different ways. Popular side dishes include egg rolls, sambals, satay, fish, fruit, vegetables, pickles, and nuts. In most areas where it is served, such as the Netherlands and other areas of strong Dutch influence (such as parts of the West Indies), it is known by its Dutch name.

Although the dishes served are undoubtedly Indonesian, the rijsttafel’s origins were colonial. The Dutch introduced the rice table to both enjoy a wide array of dishes at a single sitting, and it to impress visitors with the exotic abundance of their colonial empire.

Rijsttafels strive to feature a range of not only flavours, colours, and degrees of spiciness, but also textures – an aspect rarely discussed in Western gastronomy but a common consideration in Asian cuisines. Such textures may include crispy, chewy, slippery, soft, hard, velvety, gelatinous, and runny.

History

The rijsttafel was created as a festive and official banquet meant to show the multi-ethnic nature of the then-Dutch East Indies. Dishes were assembled from many far-flung regions where different cuisines exist, often particular to some of the over 300 ethnolinguistic and cultural groups on an island or island group — from Javanese favourite sateh, tempeh and seroendeng, to vegetarian cuisine gado-gado and lodeh with sambal lalab from Batavia and Preanger, spicy rendang and gulai curry from the Minangkabau lands in Sumatra, to ubiquitous East Indies dishes nasi goreng, soto ayam, and kroepoek crackers.