Rijsttafel is an elaborate meal consists of many side dishes served in small portions, accompanied by rice prepared in several different ways. For today’s rijsttafel, our chef has selected fragrant coconut rice served with four side dishes:

• tumisan: seasonal vegetables stir fried in garlic.
• braised greens in coconut milk and spices.
• twice cooked egg in chili-tomato sauce.
• bakwan: corn and vegetables fritters.

Rijsttafel is a Dutch word, literally translates to “rice table”. Rijsttafel’s origins were colonial. The Dutch introduced the rice table not only so they could enjoy a wide array of dishes at a single sitting but also to impress visitors with the exotic abundance of their colony. Rijsttafel strive to feature an array of not only flavors and colors and degrees of spiciness but also textures, an aspect that is not commonly discussed in Western food. Such textures may include crispy, chewy, soft, hard, velvety, gelatinous, etc.