One Famous Indonesian Food Item Is Not Historically Indonesian

A general review of the History of the Exotic Spice Trade will eventually lead to Indonesia.

"One Famous Indonesian Food Item Is Not Historically Indonesian

• During the years 1602 to 1942, what is now the Republic of Indonesia was a Dutch colony. ... The tradition of Indonesian food known today as Rijstafel, which means Rice Table, was started by the Dutch. ..."

Read more at: Indonesian Food History – Rijistafel

The concept of rijsttafel is a way to sample the many different spice-laced dishes from various regions of Indonesia.  The Dutch likely drew inspiration from a similar Indonesian multiple-dish meal known as nasi padang.

References:

Brennan, Georgeanne. “Rijsttafel: The Dutch-Indonesian Rice Table.” The Cook’s Cook, 29 Sept. 2017, https://thecookscook.com/features/rijsttafel-dutch-indonesian-rice-table/. 

“Rijsttafel | Indonesian, Spice, Variety | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2023, www.britannica.com/topic/rijsttafel.

“Indonesian Food History - Rijistafel” Daily Two Cents, 10 May 2015, web.archive.org/web/20170803143846/http://dailytwocents.com/indonesian-food-history-rijistafel/.

"Rijsttafel" by Jan Willem van Wessel from Rotterdam, Netherlands - Rijsttafel 13. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Medallions of Marco Polo and Kublai Khan

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Related Links:

• A Brief History of Indonesia: Sultans, Spices, and Tsunamis: The Incredible Story of Southeast Asia's Largest Nation

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