- Nasi Tumpeng Komplit -

Melbourne euy...

We had a great time with our beloved friends last night… We shared happiness together… We celebrated our happy moments together… Evita’s 'n my b’day, Girry-Ebin’s 3rd anniversary 'n our 4th anniversary and my beloved hubby got 2^nd permanent job…
And the last but not least... My dad's b'day n 14th anniversary of my parent wedding...

الحمد لله ... we always be thankful for what we have and get… {J{J{J{J{…

Tumpeng is a cone-shaped rice dish like mountain with its side dishes (vegetables and meat). Traditionally featured in the selamatan ceremony, the cone shape of rice is made by using cone-shaped weaved bamboo container. The rice itself could be plain steam rice, uduk rice (cooked with coconut milk), or yellow rice (uduk rice colored with kunyit-tumeric).

The cone shaped rice erected on tampah (rounded woven bamboo container) covered with banana leaf, and surrounded by assorted of Indonesian dishes.

According to the history and tradition, people in Java, Bali and Madura usually make Tumpeng to celebrate important event. However, all Indonesians are familiar with Tumpeng. The philosophy of Tumpeng is related to the geographical condition of Indonesia, especially Java as fertile island with numerous mountains and volcanos. Tumpeng dated back to ancient Indonesian tradition that revered mountains as the abode of ancestors and gods. The cone-shaped rice meant to mimics the holy mountain. The feast served as somekind of thanks giving for the abundance of harvest or any other blessings.

In gratitude ceremony (syukuran or slametan), after the people pray, the top of tumpeng is cut and delivered to the most important person. He or she may be the group leader, the oldest person, or the beloved one. Then, all people in the ceremony enjoy the tumpeng together. With tumpeng, people express the gratitude to God and appreciate togetherness and harmony.

An annual ceremony involving tumpeng is commonly called 'tumpengan'. In many Indonesian cities, such as Yogyakarta, a tradition has been developed, the tumpengan ceremony a night before 17 August, the Indonesian independence day. The event is meant to pray for safety and welfare of the nation.

The cone shaped rice surrounded by assorted of Indonesian dishes, such as urap vegetables, fried chicken, empal gepuk (sweet and spicy fried beef), abon sapi (beef floss), semur (beef stew in sweet soy sauce), teri kacang (anchovy with peanuts), fried prawn, telur pindang (boiled marble egg), shredded omelette, kering tempe (sweet and dry fried tempeh), perkedel kentang(mashed potato fritters), perkedel jagung (corn fritters), sambal goreng ati (liver in chilli sauce), and many other things.

Today the dishes which accompany tumpeng can be of the host discretion, it can be vegetarian, to bbq seafood. Traditionally there should be a balance between vegetables, meat and seafood. The composition of a traditional Javanese tumpeng is more complex because the elements must balance one another according to the Javanese belief.