Yellow Rice on the “Kuningan” Day

White steamed rice is already commonplace, found in daily rijsttafel menus. While, the mellow and mouth-watering yellow rice is another kind that is mostly associated with festivities. By and large, the latter is furnished with omelette, a variety of fried cereals and relishes of grated coconut and spices. The only distinctive method in cooking this yellow rice lies in the use of coconut milk along with turmeric extract for a colouring agent. This yellow milk is then applied in cooking the half-cooked rice. Hence, it has a piquant flavour.
Hindus in Bali offer this exceptional food along with other oblations specially dedicated to the ancestral souls at the end of the ten-day festivity. The festivity is called Kuningan. The word kuningan is derived from the base kuning in Balinese language meaning yellow as the colour of the rice above. But, it is not known for sure what the word kuning refers to. Excluding any religious context, yellow rice makes use of the rice cone to mark off the celebration of an institution’s anniversary. If you would like to savour yellow rice in a box is commonly available at supermarket outlets or traditional markets in the morning. Or you may ask for more information to your hotel staff as to where you can find it. (BTN/029)

Breadfruit, Stewed in Coconut and Sugar

Sukun or breadfruit is a fruit that cannot be eaten as other fruits. However, it can become a nice snack at teatime or a dessert when it is first be boiled or made into a crispy cracker. As a matter of fact, breadfruit has no special flavour but it will be more appetizing if mixed with other ingredients and sauces. One of the desserts that is made of this breadfruit is kolak. It is a local light meal where the ingredient is stewed in coconut and palm or refined sugar. To make it look nicer or to indulge your tongue, it can be added with sago pearls when the kolak is half-done. (BTN/029)