Hot Dutch Treat

The surprising thing about rijsttafel isn't the prodigal number of dishes mustered for a single party--in a restaurant, they'll range from 20 to 50--but the fact that, as we shall see, almost all of them seem to have been specifically designed for a bachelor's book of entertaining. Dutch colonialists in Indonesia gave the feast their Dutch name rijsttafel or rice table; a huge mound of rice was the fluffy white stage on which the charcoal-broiled satés, the pork balls, the duckling in coconut sauce, the shrimps with cucumbers and peppers and the sweet, tart relishes all performed their stylized dance. To outsiders, it was a Far Eastern smorgasbord carried to your table by a flowing column of 12 or 15 barefooted waiters, each in (continued on page 210)Hot Dutch Treat(continued from page 143) his spotless white-linen uniform and black Moslem cap, bearing two platters apiece on each expedition from the kitchen.

As a dining extravaganza, the old Dutch treat was unmatched anywhere in the world. But the embarras de richesses took time to deliver. The sheer number of intervals for each separate decision, as one specialty after the other was explained and espoused by the headwaiter, meant that when the vegetables in turmeric eventually found their place near the chicken and mushrooms and when the last sambal oelek was sprinkled on the fruit fritters, the original bed of rice had become forlornly cold. A rijsttafel in modern dress, however, fits as beautifully on a buffet table as it does on a single or double Lazy Susan. Instead of dozens of short scenes following one another, the dining curtain now opens on the entire spectacle at one time. Hosts who rejoice in the proposition that in numbers there's a feast--that is, number of dishes--know it's just as easy to lay out a rijsttafel for a half dozen couples as it is for one or two.

In unraveling the plan of a rijsttafel, the main point to grasp is that many of the dishes, however enigmatic they may seem, are simple garnishes, rather than entrees. Indonesians have a congenital passion for relishes, and a considerable number of these, such as the mango chutneys, are simply a matter of emptying the contents of a jar or a bottle onto a buffet dish. Instead of bread, shrimp-flavored chips are offered. The thin, hard wafers, made from shrimps and tapioca flour, take a minute or less in hot fat, when they suddenly billow out to four or six times their original size. Toasted coconut, fried bananas and other easy adornments all add to the riot of riches.

Table knives are taboo. As in other Oriental countries, foods are served in bite-sized morsels, although doughty Dutchmen found the fork and round-bowled soupspoon more to their liking than chopsticks for maneuvering the regal rijsttafel. Once your plate receives its substructure of rice, there are two directions in which to go. All meats, fowl, seafood, relishes and sauces may be tossed together into a piquant potpourri for hearty dining. The second style is to add distinct mounds of each dish to the rice and then later move them into as many combinations as fancy and appetite dictate. The latter technique demonstrates the Indonesian chef's fabulous sense of balance. Chunks of mild lamb are spiced with cumin and fresh ginger and then doused with a creamy coconut sauce; tender pieces of duckling cozy up to crisp water chestnuts; ice-cold cucumber slices in a tart yogurt dressing follow steaming-hot beef with onions and garlic.

Every creative host anxious to dream up his own dishes for a rice table should realize that Indonesian cookery is a delicious hybrid of native, Chinese and Indian cuisines tossed into the same pot. Spices such as cumin, coriander, cloves and cinnamon--which give Indian curries their characteristic zing--are used to pamper Indonesian dishes. Chinese soy sauce is made somewhat sweeter in Indonesia, but the added sugar makes it a perfect seasoning for Indian curries. Vegetables in some dishes are stir-fried so quickly they barely lose their raw aroma. Frequently, the chef's job is not how fast he can get his saucepan onto the fire but how fast he can remove it.

In the Indonesian nut hierarchy, coconut is king. Its meat or the juice expressed from the meat finds its way into so many dishes that the Indonesian, like the Frenchman working with his fonds de cuisine, would be paralyzed without it. Coconut milk--when it appears in a recipe--isn't the liquor that flows when a raw coconut is punctured. Travelers in the Caribbean or the South Pacific are able to taste the cool juice of a young coconut when its top is lopped off with a machete. But the mature coconuts shipped to the States carry a somewhat tasteless liquor. It's important that it be present when you buy a coconut. Shake the coconut, and if it's good, you'll hear the lake of juice splashing about. Coconut milk is the liquid that comes from grating the coconut meat, soaking it in boiling water and then squeezing the meat dry. With the use of a blender, the grating can be accomplished without working your fingers to the bone. For those who aren't armed with Oriental patience, shredded moist coconut meat in a can may be used instead. Canned coconut is somewhat sweet, but this added sugar can be balanced by salted nuts, tart side dishes and other mainstays of the rice table. Next to the coconut, freshly roasted peanuts find their way most often into rijsttafel dishes.

As to the focal point of the rice table, American long-grain rice is always much easier to handle than the Orient's short-grain rice. Skilled hands follow these guidelines: Use a pan with a heavy bottom and a tight lid for cooking rice; there should be twice as much water as rice; rice should never be stirred when it's on the fire; a teaspoon of salad oil added to each two cups of water will give the rice a pleasant sheen and prevent stickiness. For most buffets, rice is normally piled in a mountainous heap in a serving bowl. At a rijsttafel, hosts enjoy turning the rice into and out of a mold. The best device for molding rice is a Teflon cake pan, either a tube pan or a Turk's-head pan. Before turning the cooked rice into the mold, rinse the mold with hot water, leaving it wet. Pack the rice in firmly, pressing down with hand or spoon. Invert onto a bowl, casserole or platter.

The notion that all Indonesian foods are seasoned until they become a peppery nightmare is simply untrue. Suma-trans love the sung of hot peppers; many other Indonesians will have no part of them. Bottled sambals (crushed hot peppers made into thick sauces) are always added by the diner, not the cook, to suit his individual taste, using tiny fractions of a teaspoon in each case.

At one time, before sitting down to the rice table, Dutch courage was usually induced by two or three ice-cold straight Genever gins or martinis. Americans nowadays are more likely to start a rice party with fruity rum drinks, such as derby daiquiris, mai tais or navy grogs. The Indonesians have a special phrase for the sense of time, djam karet, meaning the elastic hour. The best possible way to stretch time--and to make sure that it won't snap back--is to keep up a gentle flow of ice-cold beer throughout the feast. Food portions are elastic, too, and depend on the number of items on the rice table. While every host may add or subtract courses, he should offer at least two of the main dishes that follow.

Rijsttafel Side Dishes

Mango Chutney. Offer one or two brands with distinct firm pieces of fruit, not too peppery; serve ice cold.

Spanish Peanuts. Peanuts in the skin, not in the shell; buy them freshly roasted in nut shop or rewarm peanuts from can or jar.

Sambal Oelek. Hottest of the sambal crew, imported from Holland.

Sambal Manis. Dark version of sambal oelek, containing onions, sugar and spices.

Toasted Coconut. Turn contents of 4-oz. can shredded coconut into shallow pan; bake in 300° oven 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent charring; coconut should be light brown.

Relishes. Particularly useful on the rice table arc the following Occidental vinegar-flavored relishes: Dilly Beans, Cherrydills, Senfgurken, spiced honeydew or watermelon rind, chowchow, pickled black walnuts, sweet India relish and sweet corn relish.

Shrimp-flavored Chips. Called variously krupuk, kroepoek and kerupuk, they are about the size of large potato chips, seem weightless and are delicately flavored with shrimps; most of them are multicolored; the dried chips are quickly deep-fried; should be served warm, if possible.

French Fried Onions. Indonesians have a bias for sliced onions sautéed deep brown until they become almost flakes; Western tastes prefer the milder French fried onions; warm contents of can in moderate oven 10 to 15 minutes.

Tomato Mint Sauce. Mix 12-oz. jar tomato preserves with 1/4 cup bottled mint sauce; serve ice cold.

Cucumbers in Yogurt. In mixing bowl, combine 2 cups thinly sliced, peeled cucumbers, 1 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice; chill.

Seroendeng. A toasted coconut--peanut mixture imported from Holland in 3 1/2-oz. jars; fresh version requires a little labor but is worth it: Take 1 cup toasted coconut and blend 1/4 cup at a time in blender at high speed; sauté 1/4 cup finely minced onion and 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic in 1 tablespoon oil until onion is deep brown; combine coconut, onion mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 14 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup Spanish peanuts; toss well; serve at room temperature.

Fried Bananas. Cut firm, barely ripe bananas in half lengthwise; discard peel; cut crosswise into 2- or 3-in. pieces; sauté in oil and butter until just tender; avoid cooking to the mushy stage; sprinkle generously on both sides with sugar, lightly with cinnamon; serve warm or cold.

[recipe_title]Duckling with Broccoli, Coconut Sauce[/recipe_title]

[recipe]5-lb. duckling[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 bunch broccoli[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup coconut milk (recipe below)[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons instantized flour 1/4 cup light cream[/recipe]

[recipe]5-oz. can water chestnuts, drained and sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]Ground cinnamon[/recipe]

Thaw duckling, if frozen. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, breast side up, in shallow pan, in oven preheated at 350°, for about 2 hours or until very tender and well browned. When duckling is cool enough to handle, cut into small chunks. (No knife is used at the rijsttafel.) Place chunks, skin side up, in shallow wide casserole. Meat should be in single layer. Cut broccoli stalks about 1 in. from flower. Divide flowerets into small sections. Boil until just tender. (Broccoli stalks may be put aside and used for another purpose.) Place broccoli flowerets among pieces of duck. Pour coconut milk, flour and cream into blender and blend at high speed about 1/2, minute. Pour into saucepan. Season with salt and pepper, add sliced water chestnuts. Heat to boiling point and simmer 3 minutes. Pour over duck. Cover casserole with lid or aluminum foil. Place in oven preheated at 375° for about 20 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Coconut Milk

Place a large coconut in a 500° oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until shell cracks. Run cold water over shell and tap with hammer to open coconut. Pry meat loose from shell. Don't bother scraping dark skin adhering to coconut meat. Cut meat into 1/2-in. squares. Place about a handful at a time into blender and blend at high speed until meat is chopped. Pour 2 cups boiling water over coconut. Let stand 30 minutes. Strain through triple thickness of cheesecloth, squeezing to express all juice. Yield: about 2 cups.

If canned coconut is used, pour 1-1/2 cups cold water over contents of 4-oz. can shredded coconut. Bring to a boil; reduce flame and simmer 5 minutes. Let stand covered for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or wire strainer. Yield: about 1 cup.

[recipe_title]Lamb Saté[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1/2 small leg of lamb, about 3 lbs.[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon ground coriander[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon ground cumin[/recipe]

[recipe]2 whole cloves[/recipe]

[recipe]1 in. stick cinnamon[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 dried red pepper, crushed[/recipe]

Have butcher bone lamb. Cut into cubes approximately 1 in. thick. Pour oil and remaining ingredients into blender. Blend at high speed about 2 minutes or until whole spices are coarsely ground. Pour over lamb in mixing bowl. Marinate overnight. Fasten meat on skewers. Broil under preheated broiler flame or over charcoal until brown. Serve with saté sauce below.

[recipe_title]Saté Sauce[/recipe_title]

[recipe]3 tablespoons finely minced onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup coconut milk[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup peanut butter[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

Sauté onion and garlic in oil until onion is lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients except salt and pepper. Simmer until sauce is smooth and hot, stirring constantly. Season to taste.

[recipe_title]Chicken and Mushroom Saté[/recipe_title]

[recipe]6 chicken breasts, boned and skinned (3 double breasts)[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 lb. button mushrooms[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup coconut milk[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons minced onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup peanut butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1/8 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper[/recipe]

Cut tender under part of chicken breasts in half crosswise. Cut breasts crosswise into 1-in. strips and set aside. Cut off stems of mushrooms. (Stems may be used for another purpose.) Sauté mushrooms in oil for about 3 minutes. Set aside. Pour remaining ingredients into a blender. Blend at high speed 1 minute. Place chicken pieces and mushrooms in bowl and pour coconut mixture over them. Marinate overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours. Fasten alternate pieces of chicken and mushrooms on skewers. Broil under preheated broiler flame or over charcoal until chicken is light brown. Heat marinade to boiling point, stirring well. Pour over chicken satés or pass separately at table.

[recipe_title]Pork-Ball Saté[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 lb. ground lean pork, preferably loin[/recipe]

[recipe]2 slices stale white bread, crusts removed Milk[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons very finely minced onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon ground ginger[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1 egg, well beaten[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons finely minced parsley[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons brown sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon dark molasses[/recipe]

Soak bread in milk. Squeeze gently, to remove excess milk. Chop very fine. In mixing bowl, combine pork, bread, onion, garlic, pepper, ginger, salt, egg and parsley. Mix very well. Shape into balls 1 in. in diameter. Dip hands in cold water to shape meat easily. Chill pork balls in refrigerator. Fasten on skewers. Mix soy sauce, sugar and molasses until sugar dissolves. Brush on pork balls. Place skewers in shallow broiling pan and broil under preheated broiler until well browned on all sides.

[recipe_title]Beef with Ginger and Radishes[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2-1/2 lbs. porterhouse or sirloin steak[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large Spanish onion[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup radish slices[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons very finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh ginger[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon ginger-flavored brandy[/recipe]

[recipe]1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch[/recipe]

[recipe]1 packet instant bouillon powder[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup water[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt, pepper[/recipe]

Remove all bone, fat and tendon from steak. Cut into julienne strips no more than 1/4 in. thick and about 1-1/2 ins. long. Cut onion in half through stem end. Cut crosswise into thinnest possible slices. Cut radish slices into thinnest possible julienne strips. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Sauté meat until it loses red color. Add onion, garlic and fresh ginger. Stir constantly, sautéing about 3 minutes. Onion should be semicrisp. Pour soy sauce, sugar, brandy, cornstarch, bouillon powder and water into blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into skillet with meat, bring to a boil and simmer a few minutes. Stir in lemon juice and radishes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

[recipe_title]Shrimps With Cucumber and Pepper[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1-1/2 lbs. medium-sized shrimps[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large cucumber[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large sweet red pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup coconut milk[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon turmeric[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons cornstarch[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon very dry sherry[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons minced onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon very finely minced garlic Salt, pepper[/recipe]

Peel shrimps; cut through center, leaving tail end intact. Remove vein running through back. Peel cucumber; cut in half lengthwise. With a spoon, remove seeds. Cut cucumber halves crosswise into 1/2-in.-thick slices. Cut pepper in half, removing stem end and seeds, and cut into 1/2-in. squares. Pour coconut milk, turmeric, soy sauce, cornstarch and sherry into blender. Blend at high speed 1/2 minute. Heat oil in large electric skillet preheated at 400°. Add shrimps, cucumber, pepper, onion and garlic. Stir-fry just until shrimps turn opaque. Add coconut-milk mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and simmer 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

[recipe_title]Papaya Fritters[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour[/recipe]

[recipe]2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon ground coriander[/recipe]

[recipe]2/3 cup water[/recipe]

[recipe]2 eggs[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

1 cup cooked drained papaya (from can or jar), cut into very small dice Confectioners' sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and coriander. Pour water, eggs and 2 tablespoons salad oil into blender. Blend at high speed 1 minute. Add papaya and egg mixture to flour. Fold until liquid and dry ingredients are just blended. Heat 1/2 in. oil in electric skillet preheated at 370°. Drop batter, a level tablespoon at a time, into oil. Brown on both sides. Drain fritters on absorbent paper. Just before serving, sift confectioners' sugar on top fritters. (May be served with rijsttafel or as dessert.)

Having mastered the basic requisites of the rice table, the aspiring chef can research his way through a tempting spectrum of Indonesian exotica. With rijsttafel, an adventurous spirit is a prime ingredient.