Rijsttafel (translation: “rice table”), which is pronounced as rice-taffle, is a mix of dishes from all the Indonesian islands, and a perfect introduction to “indisch” (colonial Indonesian, pronounced “IN-dees” cuisine ). Order rijsttafel in a restaurant and you will find the table in front of you covered with a selection of assorted dishes. But make no mistake: rijsttafel , despite its Indonesian roots, is not authentically Indonesian ( Indonesisch in Dutch). Instead, it is a relic of the period of Dutch colonization on what is now Indonesia (1602-1942), when the Dutch East India Company traded in the natural resources of the so-called Spice Islands.
There the rijsttafel , modeled after the Indonesian festival nasi padang , was invented to allow Dutch colonialists to sample dishes from Java, Bali, Sumatra, and countless other islands; The number of dishes could amount to more than a hundred at these luxurious banquets. Colonials and Indonesian expats later introduced rijsttafel to the Netherlands, where it has been a popular item in Indonesian restaurants ever since.
What dishes appear in a R ijsttafel ?
Each rijsttafel is different, as the selection of dishes is at the discretion of the chef. Most rijsttafels have between 12 and 25 dishes and come with white or fried rice ( nasi putih or goreng ), noodles ( bami goreng ), or a combination of these. Some favorite rijsttafel dishes are:
- Gado gado – cooked vegetable salad with a rich peanut sauce
- Pisang goreng – tasty banana fritters
- Sambal goreng tempeh – fried tempeh or fermented soybean cake, in a dark, flavorful sauce
- Sambal telur – hard-boiled eggs marinated in spicy sauce
- Sayur lodeh – mixed vegetables in a spicy coconut milk sauce
Additionally, there are often sides of tjampoer atjar (Indonesian mixed pickles to chill the palate), serundeng (grated coconut with roasted peanuts), and other sauces and seasonings to overwhelm the senses. And don’t miss spekkoek , the classic Indonesian spice cake, for dessert!
Where can I order Rijsttafel in Amsterdam?
Rijsttafel is available in virtually any Indonesian or ‘Indies’ restaurant in Amsterdam, but naturally the quality varies. See this roundup of the best Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam for some of the best options. A place to start: Amsterdam restaurant Tempo Doeloe (Utrechtsestraat 75) has won a Michelin Bib Gourmand award, not a Michelin star, but the company’s accolade for best affordable restaurants, for its take on Dutch-Indonesian cuisine.
