Breaking the Fast with Bango to Discover the Richness of Semur

Jakarta, August 11, 2011 – Located in a restaurant in Senopati, South Jakarta, Bango, produced by PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk. invited the media and representatives of the culinary community to break the fast with a special theme and atmosphere. Entitled “Kenduri Semur Nusantara – Berbuka Bersama Kelezatan dan Keberagaman Semur Indonesia”, Bango reveals various stories about Semur, one of Indonesia’s proudest and most legendary dishes, which has warmed the taste buds and hearts of so many Indonesian families.

In terms of history, Semur is one of the most exquisite Indonesian culinary traditions because it was born from the combination of many cultural influences before it became authentic Indonesian cuisine. Not many people are aware thatSemur is a culinary acculturation between Indonesia and various other nations, such as India and China. TheSemur we are familiar with now was developed from cooking techniques applied in the so-called Indische kitchens, by Eurasians who used sweet soya sauce as its main flavor.

The uniqueness of Semur is more than its mere historical value. The disbursement of Semur throughout Indonesia is also very apparent, thus making it a favorite dish for millions of Indonesian families. The ingredients, flavors and Semur cooking methods have adapted the characteristics and tastes of the locals in various areas of Indonesia, thus becoming merged with their cultures, yet still retaining the basic seasonings and techniques of cooking Semur. These varieties have placed Semur as a priceless national wealth and cultural heritage.

Agus Nugraha, Senior Brand Manager of Bango stated in his remarks, “With its distinct varieties, Bango perceives Semur as an Indonesian culinary heritage that needs to be preserved. Unfortunately, most of our people are not yet familiar with the varieties of Semur from many parts of the country. Their understanding of the flavors, origins and serving traditions of Semur is still limited to the Semurs from their own regions. Furthermore, the many stories related to Semur from each area also tend to solidify the dish’s fame as part of the local culture, and these are exceptionally interesting and important.”

JJ Rizal, a historian who also participated in the event, agreed. “A fundamental correction regarding the way we perceive a dish is required among the people. We need to be aware that culinary appreciation is more than the fact that we are amazed by a certain taste. A thorough understanding of the background of how the dish has been created, be it from the context of history, cultural, background, serving methods, and others is highly essential. Therefore, the culinary experience will be richer and more meaningful. A concrete example is what we are conducting today. I am optimistic that after we have discovered the history and varieties of Semur in Indonesia, the love and pride of this dish will grow by itself.”

To describe the varieties of Semur in Indonesia, Bango engaged three Semur experts from three areas in Indonesia. They shared stories and knowledge regarding the taste, serving methods and unique“rituals” in enjoying Semur, according to the customs and cultural contexts of each area.

Idham Mirwan, a culinary expert from Palembang, told a story about Malbi, the common name for Palembang’s Semur, “Malbi was born from a mixture of Arabian, Indian, and Chinese cultures. This dish then became a tradition in Palembang because until now, the majority of its people are descendants of the three races. Back then, Malbi was the main dish in great events which involved the public figures of Palembang because it used beef – an ingredient considered a luxury at that time. However, we can now find Malbi at various events with thick Palembang sauces, such as during Eid and wedding ceremonies”. According to him, Malbi has a signature taste, which is a dominant sour flavor because of the addition of tamarind. Besides that, a touch of cinnamon and sweet soya sauce also further enriches the taste of Malbi.

Another story focuses on the Semur originating from Samarinda, told by a culinary entrepreneur from East Kalimantan, Aji Leddy Susanti. “In Samarinda, Semur usually consists of eggs and vermicelli, served with yellow rice. Besides Semur, the yellow rice is also complemented with grated coconut and chicken cooked in red sauce (ayam masak Habang). This dish eventually became Samarinda’s signature breakfast of choice.” Susan added that the uniqueness of Samarinda’s Semur taste lies primarily in the generous use of nutmeg. Furthermore, the key to its delicacy depends on theprecise degree of sweet soya sauce added: not too much, but also not too little; usually this “intuition” is gained with experience.

The Semur that gradually developed in Batavia or Betawi, also has its own distinctive story. “Semur Betawi is usually called Semur Kerbau Andilan (Collective Buffalo Semur), because of the distinct cultural values that were apparent when butchering theandilanbuffalo,the buffalo bought collectively by several residents in one village. After the buffalo was bought and butchered,the meat was cooked together into Semur,” said Indra Sutisna, an expert in Betawi culture.Sharing and serving it was also special. Usually, in the afternoon before takbiran or after theEid prayers,families delivered dish-hampers to older relatives, while the oldest child delivers a dish-hamper to the child’s parents.The hamper had to consist of SemurKerbauAndilan, ketupat(rice cake), tape uli(sweet fermented glutinous rice and white glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and salt),fried cookies calledkembang goyang and akar kelapa.

”Through this event,Bango hopes that the introduction and in-depth understanding of Semur will encourage the people to love this dish even more. Therefore, they will serve Semur more often at home as a way of supporting the preservation of Semur from one generation to the other among Indonesian families,” concluded Agus.