Category: Indonesia

A Trace of Spices That Are Worth More Than Gold in Old Batavia

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There are countless delicious Indonesian that you can find in Old Batavia, and the key ingredients are the spices. The strategic location of Indonesia and the great ability of Indonesian ancestor to navigate ships in the sea, makes it possible for Indonesian to trade and learn to grow spices from people at other countries and places.

The abundant amounts of spices in Indonesia attract foreigners from Europe and spurred their ambition to exploitation of economics, hence the colonialism started. The history of spices that is worth to know and spread can be found in Indonesian museum in the present day. One of them are in Museum Bank Indonesia, that is located inside the complex of Jakarta Old Town area.

Aside from Museum Bank Indonesia, the history of spices can also be found in Museum Bahari, that is mainly displaying a maritime history of Indonesia. It is not located inside the Jakarta Old Town area, but it is quite near and can be reached in walking distance. It is also near to the Sunda Kelapa Harbor where you can see big ships anchored to load and unload.

A variety of spices that are widely used in Indonesia until the present days includes clove, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemongrass, aromatic ginger, turmeric, galangal, and many more. These spices are used not only for cooking ingredients, but also for traditional drinks and medicines. The use of spices provides a rich aroma and distinctive flavors.

Curious about the spices that become a treasure that is sought after? Come visit Jakarta, join our Jakarta Walking Tour, and follow the trace of spices in Old Batavia with us. You can learn the route of spices, see the shape and smell of the spices, and learn their history.

Aside from learning the history of spices, you can also try delicacies that include spices if you join our Jakarta Food Tour.  Prepare your comfortable shoes and clothes, and you will be ready to walk around with the Jakarta Walking Tour. See you around!

A Cannon with Unusual Shape and Stories, Meriam Si Jagur

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Jakarta Old Town is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Jakarta. There are many things that you can see and explore there. Beside museums, there are also monuments and historical heritage, one of them is Meriam Si Jagur.

It is a big cannon that is placed across the Fatahillah Museum or Jakarta History Museum in the Old Batavia complex. The rear side of the cannon has the shape of a palm, with thumb tucked out between the index and middle finger. For some people, the shape seems a bit vulgar, but for some others, it is said that it is a symbol of luck.

In the past, it was believed that sitting on the cannon will grant fertility, so, many people who want children will sit on the cannon. This phenomenon makes the government decide to build a fence around the cannon to prevent people sitting on it.

Another unique thing about this cannon is the name, Si Jagur, it is from where it is located back then, in St. Jago de Barra, a Portuguese Fort in Macau, where the cannon was created. The cannon was made by Manoel Tovarres Bocarro and placed in Macau, before finally moved to Old Batavia by Dutch colonial empire in 16th Century. 

There is also a legend that the cannon is incarnation of a governor that was ordered to find a powerful weapon by Pajajaran King. From other source, a book by Ludovic Marquis de Beauvoir, titled Voyage Autour do Monde, the cannon was brought to the position by a great tidal wave.

If you want to know more about Si Jagur and want to see firsthand the unique and historical cannon, join us on our Jakarta Old Town tour, and we will take you to see and explore in depth the history of Jakarta and Old Batavia. So, see you around!

Lontong Sayur, Another Rice Dishes for Breakfast in Jakarta

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Rice again for breakfast in Jakarta, only in different color and shape, lontong sayur. Different from the usual rice, lontong is tube shaped and in green color. The color came from the banana leaf that is used as the wrapper. Lontong is cooked rice that is wrapped in banana leaf and then steamed. However, there is another type of lontong, called ketupat, that is diamond shaped and wrapped in palm leaf pouch.

There are various kinds of dishes that use lontong, such as chicken satay, gado-gado, opor, and lontong sayur. Lontong sayur is the popular choice for breakfast in Jakarta. It is usually sold along with other breakfast options such as nasi kuning and nasi uduk as we mention in another article.

Lontong sayur itself has a few different versions, depending on the area such as lontong sayur Minang, lontong sayur Padang, and lontong sayur Betawi. But in general, the broth is pretty much the same, with some alternatives for the ingredients. Lontong sayur has a thick broth, since it is usually used coconut milk, and it is usually in orange color that came from turmeric.

Vegetables that are used for the ingredients neutralize the thickness of the broth, suitable for people who crave something healthy but a little bit spicy for their breakfast option. Long beans, julienned chayote and young papaya is most common ingredients. Besides vegetables, there is also boiled egg for protein.

Lontong sayur is a fulfilling breakfast in Jakarta to face a busy day ahead. Are you curious about this delicious breakfast? Then come to Jakarta, spend a night, and you can search lontong sayur for your breakfast in Jakarta.

And when your stomach is full and your energy has recharged, come join us for a walk with Jakarta Walking Tour, we can take you to explore interesting places and interesting delicacies around Jakarta. See you around!

The Secret of Sweet Taste from Indonesian Delicacies

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Have you tasted sweet martabak, es teler, and soda susu while visiting or staying in Indonesia? When you take a bite of the dishes, you might taste a nice and sweet flavor. It came from sweetened condensed milk, or susu kental manis, often abbreviated as SKM.

Sweetened condensed milk is made from cow’s milk and added with sugar. The texture is thicker and stickier than ordinary cow’s milk. SKM is often used for cooking ingredients and to add flavor in some kind of drinks.

One of the examples of SKM using in food is in martabak. While egg martabak tastes savory and it is made from eggs, meat and green onions, sweet martabak is a kind of pancake with various fillings. It is also called terang bulan in some Java areas. Usually, customers can choose what they like for the sweet martabak filling. There are wide options such as chocolate sprinkles, shredded cheese, nuts, banana and SKM.

Aside from food, SKM is also often used in drinks. A few examples of them are es teler and soda susu. Es teler is a kind of fruit cocktail served with ice. A few kinds of fruit are used as ingredients and the sweet taste came from sugar and SKM. For a more detailed explanation about es teler, please go here: https://wp.me/p5DzGJ-IX

The other type of drink that also using SKM is soda susu. It is made from clear or colored carbonated drinks, added with SKM, served with ice. It is a perfect choice to drink in hot weather. Go here if you want to know more details about soda susu: https://wp.me/p5DzGJ-J0

There are also many kinds of drinks and snacks using SKM in Indonesia, but sweet martabak, es teler, and soda susu are a few of the popular ones in Jakarta. If you join our Jakarta Food Tour, you might be able to taste them if you are curious. So, let’s join us if you have a plan to visit Jakarta. See you around!

A Unique Variety of Soup in Jakarta from the South

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As we have introduced varieties of soup in Jakarta in the previous article, now we could move on to other soups of Indonesia. Aside from Jakarta as the capital city, other provinces also offer a rich variety of soups, for example, sop pindang ikan patin (shark catfish soup) from Palembang, South Sumatera, and sop konro (beef soup) from Makassar, South Sulawesi. Both soups that come from outside Jakarta are also popular among the locals.

First, about sop pindang ikan patin. It is a soup dish using shark catfish as a main ingredient. The cooking method is also out of the ordinary, it is called “pindang”, a cooking method by boiling the fish meat in brine or acidic solutions. It is a relatively simple dish that is easy to cook using only a few ingredients such as lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, chili, and tamarind boiled in a broth. It has a savory and a hint of sour taste from the tamarind. The freshness of the soup makes it a popular soup in Jakarta.

The other type of soup is sop konro. Konro literally means cow in South Sulawesi. The main ingredient for this dish is beef ribs or other parts of cow. Meanwhile sop pindang ikan patin is a simple dish, on the other hand, konro are richer in flavor as it is using many varieties of Indonesian spices such as coriander, nutmeg, galanga, aromatic ginger, cinnamon, clove, and keluak that adds the black color in the dish.

Konro has a “dry” version, in which the beef ribs and meat are grilled, and the soup is served separately, and widely known as konro bakar. The taste of this dish is relatively richer with sweet and savory as a dominant flavor. This dish can be found in Makassar restaurant or a restaurant that sells particularly sop konro and konro bakar as a main dish.

Ready to taste a warm and delicious soup in Jakarta? Then let’s walk with us in Jakarta Food Tour to taste unique and authentic Indonesian food. See you around!

Going Around Jakarta with Jakarta Transportation

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Along with the continuous development of Jakarta as a capital city, Jakarta Transportation also undergoes a lot of improvements as today. There are already many options to go around Jakarta using public transportation.

Jakarta Transportation is divided into two types, intra-city and inter-city transportation. For intra-city transportation in Jakarta area, we have Transjakarta, Microtrans, and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit/Moda Raya Terpadu). These types of transportation modes are provided to people who want to go around within the Jakarta area. Transjakarta are big buses that you can ride from the Transjakarta Busway shelters, Microtrans is smaller vehicles like car or used to called “angkutan kota”, and MRT is train like transportation that you can ride from subway stations.

For intercity of Jakarta Transportation, there are options like KRL Commuter Line, LRT (Light Rail Transit/Lintas Rel Terpadu), and also Transjabodetabek. These modes are intended to provide transportation for people outside Jakarta area, including Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, hence the name of “Jabodetabek” area, as many people commute from other cities while working in Jakarta or vice versa. The routes and fares for each mode are usually provided on their respective websites.

These modes of Jakarta Transportation are meant to provide people with decent public transportation so people will opt out using private vehicles to solve traffic congestion problems in Jakarta. The fares are relatively affordable for Indonesians, starting from IDR3500 or less than 1USD. You can even ride for free on Microtrans as long as you carry an electronic money card.

Stay tuned for more information about how to ride, routes, and fares for Jakarta Transportation. See you in the next articles!

Keris

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keris collection

The keris is a distinctive dagger indigenous to Indonesia. Nearly all regions in the Indonesian archipelago have their own distinct from of keris. Most Javanese families own a keris that has been passed down through generations.

The best keris are made by master blade smiths called ‘empu’ who are highly respected craftsmen and also learned in the arts, history and occult sciences. The process of making keris is often secretive and mystical.

keris body part

Keris blades are generally narrow with a wide, asymmetrical base. A keris aesthetic value comprise of the dhapur (the form and design of the blade), the pamor (the pattern of decoration on the blade), and tangguh (its age and origin). In high quality keris, the blades are created by folding in layers of different metals hundreds of times with utmost precision. The Javanese keris can have either a straight or wavy blade with an odd number of curves.

Both weapon and spiritual object, the keris is considered to possess spiritual powers or kesaktian to which special titles are conferred. Today, this magnificent dagger are still used for display purposes, as talismans, weapons, sacred heirlooms, auxiliary equipment for court soldiers and accessories for ceremonial dress which is an indicator of social status and a symbol of heroism. Cleansing rituals in keris­-bathing ceremonies on the first of the Javanese Sura month ensures the kesaktian of the sacred keris.

Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here         

Angklung

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An unique musical instrument from West Java, the angklung is made up of two to four bamboo tubes suspended vertically on a bamboo frame. The lower part of the tubes us unattached, enabling them to produce sound were shaken. Each piece of angklung is made using bamboo of a particular diameter, corresponding to the different chords its intended to produce. Therefore, the smaller the angklung, the higher note it produces.

To play the angklung, the left hand lightly holds the upper left edge of the frame while the right hand shakes the lower right edge of the instrument. The angklung can be played in an ensemble of 15 players with 15 pieces of angklung or in combination with other musical instruments. Watch wonderful angklung group play on Bandung bamboo musical instruments workshop below:

However, you could also play it solo. Couple weeks ago, we saw street musician who play angklung in a very comfy way – sit on the low chair, cross the leg, and effortless play this instrument: 

The angklung’s present day diatonic chromatic scale, developed in 1938 by Daeng Sutigna of Kuningan, West Java, enables players to broaden their repertoire and go beyond traditional songs. The exotic sound of the angklung has attracted many contemporary Western musicians to incorporate the humble angklung into their ensembles.

Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here  
Featured image credit: www.tempo.co      

Do you want to experience angklung group orchestra just like people on the video? Read more about Bandung tour tips and trick here or drop us message here

 

Batik

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Batik is highly refined Javanese art of decorating cloth. More than just an adornment, batik embodies the soul and mysticism of the Javanese. Batik can be traditionally hand-drawn (batik tulis) using a canting (copper wax pen) or stamped using finely shaped copper blocks (batik cap). Batik tulis is generally more highly-praised as it requires more time, concentration and skill to produce. A single hand-painted batik cloth may take up to 2-3 months to complete. Stamped batiks are a more modern invention and require less time to produce. Traditional motifs include kawung, ceplok, and parang.

The styles of batik vary according to the region, each having an unique set of motifs, color preferences and symbolism. Coastal Batik show influences of foreign cultures. They are brighter and more colorful, dominated by yellows, mauves, ochre, greens and pale blue. Batik Pekalongan is characterized by its Dutch-influenced flower (buketan) motifs, while Cirebon has its signature mega mendung or stylized cloud motif of Chinese influence. Court Batik comes primarily from Solo and Yogyakarta and is colored using dyes of earthy tones. In batik design, the color blue traditionally symbolizes the earth; brown symbolized fire, and white for water and air.

Batik is highly versatile, used in both formal and informal occasions, by people from all walks of life.

Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here         

Do you want to learn more about batik? We will bring you to the batik workshop to learn how to make batik and get to know more about batik cultural background on the right place with the expert. Contact us here

 

Gamelan

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Gamelan is the traditional musical ensembles of Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java. The ensembles features a variety of instruments such as sets of tuned bronze gongs, gong-chimes, metallophones, drums, bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked string instruments. A gamelan orchestra can sometimes include singers. Gamelan music, weather played live or the recorded version, usually accompanies important events such as weddings, rituals and ceremonies, traditional dance and wayang performances.

Gamelan comprises two scales; the slendro (minor) and pelog (major). Each instrument has its functions. Gongs maintain the basic structure of the music; the metallophones carry the theme, while the kendang leads the orchestra by controlling the tempo of the musical piece.

Gamelan Jawa

Javanese Gamelan

There are generally three distinct types of gamelan, the Javanese, Balinese and Sundanese styles, each with its own distinctive musical scale, dynamics and mood. In Central Java, the gamelan is an essential element in many kraton (palace) ceremonies. In Bali, almost all religious rituals are accompanied by the gamelan.

Gamelan Bali

Balinese Gamelan

Certain pieces of the ensemble are believed to possess supernatural powers and would be played to ward off evil spirits or even manipulate the weather. Such special pieces are given titles and treated with utmost respect.

Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here