Indonesians’ Staple Food

Indonesia is a pluralistic country, it lies between two continents, Asia and Australia. As the biggest archipelago country in the world comprises low and highlands, it is understandable that there are some staple foods in this country. The majority of Indonesians eat rice as their staple food, but there are also cassava, yams, taro, sago, corn and so on chosen as staple foods in this country. Papuans enjoy yams, taro and sago. Ambonese, even tho more and more eat rice, their staple food is sago. Madurese have corns. Dayaks (and maybe some other jungle tribes) eat yams and cassava.

Indeed these foods are not all. For some poor students in Jogja, city of education and culture in Indonesia, their staple food is instant noodle. What about in Meulaboh, West Aceh? Believe or not, my staple food when I lived there for few months after the tsunami was fried rice, not plain rice. For most of my living period there, I had fried rice at least twice a day. Fried rice with eggs, fried rice with chickens, fried rice with meats, well you just name it.

For years, my mum’s staple food was raw vegetable. After her brain surgery, mum only consumed milk and raw vegetables. Mum always says that she was like a cow.

What about me? What is my staple food? I think it’s seafood, fish mostly. So it is not rice with fish, but fish which sometimes with rice. Fried fish, steamed fish, baked fish, boiled fish, you name it. Last week my physician told me to limit my fish diet. He thought that the fat of seafood is not good for my ankle’s healing process. I was confused and asking him, what should I eat then. I asked my mum, “But all I have in my fridge is fishes and prawns. What will I eat then?”

Thank goodness, my ankle is fine now. No more cast and bandage. So, welcome back fish. I miss you badly.