Cuisine and camaraderie featured in Indonesian embassy

Islamabad  

The Asian Study Group (ASG) Cuisine Club organised a morning featuring Indonesian specialties. The event was held at the residence of the ambassador of Indonesia, Iwan Amri and Mrs Rita Berlinia Amri and was attended by diplomats and members of the ASG. The event coincided with Kartini Day which celebrates the life and achievements of Raden Ajeng Kartini, who was born on the 21st of April 1879 and is revered for being instrumental in the women's emancipation movement in Indonesia. In her struggle to create awareness about girl’s education, she wrote many letters about her feelings to her friends in Holland which were later published as a book, ‘Out of Darkness to Light.’

As guests arrived they were welcomed warmly by members of the embassy; had a chance to view some Indonesian handicrafts and taste some of the delicious nuts prepared by the hostess to give them a special flavor. A short documentary on Raden Ajeng Kartini was also screened to highlight her work. 

Welcoming the guests, the host informed that the workshop was designed not only to learn about, taste and enjoy Indonesian food but to present a glimpse of their rich and diverse culture through its varied and delicious cuisine. “Food is not meant for only survival or pleasure but it is our identity,” he said. “It connects communities and helps us understand each other better.”

President ASG, Parvin Malik thanked the hosts; recalled the days when events such as this were held regularly at the embassy and appreciated the efforts of the head of the Cuisine Club, Fauzia Memon – herself an expert on cuisine – for always arranging interesting and informative programmes.

The workshop was conducted by Chef I Wayan Subrata, who is currently associated with a hotel in Islamabad. During the demonstration the hostess answered questions; specified the ingredients and steps involved in preparing the authentic Indonesian dishes. ‘Sate’ is a dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce; ‘Mei Goreng’ is the Indonesian stir-fried noodles are a satisfying one-pan meal that one can easily whip up any day of the week, while the ‘Es Timun’ or Iced Cucumber drink is refreshing and ideal for a summer day. Chef Subrata’s expertise was appreciated by the onlookers and he was well applauded.

After the demonstration, a lavish lunch of Indonesian specialties was served for the guests to enjoy, which they did. After this some of the guests left but those who stayed on to enjoy the host’s hospitality for a while had another enjoyable half hour or so, as the Karioke was switched on! While the ladies were shy and refrained from singing, the host; High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam, Dato Mahmud Saidin; ambassador of The Philippines, Daniel Ramos Esperitu; ambassador of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Nedim Makarevik, sportingly sang along together or solo and were joined by the guests if they knew the songs – which were mostly hits of the 70’s and 80’s – or clapped along to the beat.

It was a fun morning with good food; pleasant company and caring hosts. What’s more, female guests walked away with a “made in Indonesia’ gift presented by the generous hosts!