Rijsttafel facts for kids
An elaborate rijsttafel in a restaurant in The Hague, Netherlands
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| Alternative names | Rice table |
|---|---|
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) |
| Region or state | Indonesia, Netherlands and Belgium |
| Serving temperature | Hot or room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Rice with various side dishes |
| Variations | nasi campur, nasi rames (Indo) |
| Other information | It is more a lavish banquet than a dish, popular in the Netherlands |
Rijsttafel is a Dutch word that means "rice table". It's a special and fancy meal from Indonesia. The Dutch people living in Indonesia created this meal.
A rijsttafel is not just one dish. It's a huge meal with many different side dishes. You get small amounts of each dish. These are served with rice, which can be cooked in different ways. Some popular side dishes are egg rolls, spicy sauces called sambals, and grilled meat on skewers called satay. You might also find fish, fruit, vegetables, pickles, and nuts.
The Dutch created the rijsttafel to enjoy many different Indonesian foods at once. It was also a way to show off the rich variety of their colony to visitors. This meal is known for having many different tastes, colors, and levels of spiciness. It also has many textures, like crispy, chewy, soft, or crunchy foods.
History of the Rice Table
The rijsttafel was made to be a big, festive meal. It showed off the many different cultures and foods of Indonesia. Dishes came from all over the country. Indonesia has many islands, and each has its own special foods.
For example, you might find:
- Sateh, tempeh, and seroendeng from Java.
- Vegetarian dishes like gado-gado and lodeh from Jakarta.
- Spicy rendang and gulai curry from Sumatra.
- Common Indonesian dishes like nasi goreng (fried rice) and kroepoek crackers.
Some dishes also show mixed influences. For example, babi ketjap and loempia have Chinese roots. Beef smoor has European influences.
During the time the Dutch ruled Indonesia, rijsttafel meals were very grand. Servants would bring out many platters of food. First, a cone-shaped pile of rice was placed in the middle of the table. Then, up to 40 small bowls of meat, vegetables, and sauces would surround the rice.
The most famous rijsttafel meals were served at fancy hotels. This included the Hotel des Indes in Batavia and the Savoy Homann Hotel in Bandung. They would serve rice with up to sixty different dishes!
After Indonesia became independent in 1945, many Dutch people and Indonesians with Dutch roots moved to the Netherlands. They brought the rijsttafel tradition with them. In Indonesia, however, the rijsttafel became less popular. It was seen as a reminder of colonial times. Today, you will find it in only a few special restaurants in Indonesia. But in the Netherlands, it is still very popular.
What's on a Rijsttafel?
A rijsttafel can have many different dishes. Here are some examples of what you might find:
- Acar – Pickled vegetables, often a bit sour and sweet.
- Babi kecap – Pork cooked in a sweet soy sauce. A beef version called semur is also common.
- Gado-gado – Cooked or fresh vegetables with a tasty peanut sauce.
- Krupuk – Crispy crackers, often made from shrimp or rice.
- Lumpia – Delicious spring rolls, usually filled with vegetables or meat.
- Nasi goreng – Famous Indonesian fried rice.
- Nasi kuning – Yellow rice, often cooked with coconut milk and turmeric.
- Rendang – A very flavorful and spicy beef dish, slow-cooked in coconut milk.
- Sambal – Spicy chili pastes. There are many kinds, like sambal kacang (peanut chili sauce).
- Satay – Small pieces of meat (like chicken or pork) grilled on a stick. They are often served with peanut sauce.
- Sayur lodeh – A vegetable stew cooked in spicy coconut milk.
- Perkedel – Patties made from meat and potatoes.
- Pisang goreng – Sweet banana fritters.
Rijsttafel Today
Even though rijsttafel is popular in the Netherlands, it's not common in Indonesia anymore. Most Indonesian meals have rice with only one, two, or three side dishes. Eating 7 to 40 dishes at once is seen as too much and too expensive.
The closest meals you'll find in Indonesia are nasi Padang and nasi campur. These also offer a variety of dishes, but usually fewer than a rijsttafel. However, in Indonesian restaurants around the world, especially in the Netherlands and Belgium, the rijsttafel is still a favorite.
Today, only a few fancy restaurants in Indonesia serve the big, colonial-style rijsttafel. In July 2011, the airline Garuda Indonesia started serving an Indonesian rijsttafel in its Executive Class. This was a way to introduce passengers to many Indonesian dishes during their flight. It includes dishes like nasi kuning or steamed rice, with satay, rendang, gado-gado, and various crackers.
See also
In Spanish: Rijsttafel para niños
