Nasi Tumpeng

Tumpeng, Indonesia Traditional Dish

 

Nasi Tumpeng usually cooked in special occasion or ceremony. The major ingredient of tumpeng is rice (white or yellow rice) and usually had shape like cone with side dish around it.

Side dishes in tumpeng are various, depend on the occasion; but usually the dishes are boiled eggs, perkedel (fried mash potato), ayam bumbu rujak (chicken cooks in red sauce), urap sayuran (vegetable salad mix with shredded coconut), rempeyek (crackers with anchovy or peanuts), sambal goreng, and others. 

In Javanese culture, tumpeng had an important role in a ceremony. Tumpeng philosophy connected with Indonesia geographical condition. Indonesia had a lot of volcano mountain, cone shape in tumpeng symbolize it, this kind of shape for Javanese give a meaning that their life will “arise” in every aspect.

Tumpeng side dishes also had a meaning on it, eggs serve with eggshell, eggwhite and yolk symbolize action that we must take in life, means we must plan our life, work hard as we planned and evaluate the result for perfection. Rempeyek is a must on tumpeng, especially rempeyek with anchovy in it. anchovy represent harmony with others because this fish clustered everywhere they lived. Urap sayuran (vegetable salad mix with shredded coconut) represent land plant, but not every vegetable can be used because every veggie had it’s own symbol. Water spinach symbolize that human must able to live anywhere in every condition, because this veggie can live in water and land. Spinach symbolize a peaceful life, because pronunciation similarity between bayem (Javanese word for spinach) and word ayem that means peace in Javanese language. Sprout symbolize high creativity, kluwih (looks like jack-fruit but smaller) same as spinach it has pronunciation similarity with word “Luwih” which means to have more fortune in life.

In every ceremony after praying, there were tradition to give tumpeng peak to the most important people who’s come to the ceremony. intended to show a respect. after that others who come can enjoy the rest.
tumpeng decorate contest often held, especially in Java to celebrate Independence Day.