Ramadan 2010 is just around the corner, its first day starting on 11 August until 9 September. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and marks the first revelation of the Quran, Islam’s holy scripture, to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.

From the first light until sunset, we fast by abstaining from food, drink and intimate relations. We also try to avoid anger and verbal conflicts, negative thoughts and sinful actions. Ramadan is a month of worship full of prosperity, spirituality and forgiveness.

We are honoured to invite you all to discuss here all traditional delicacies that are usually prepared during the auspicious month of Ramadan at Iftar, often called “buka puasa”, which means “to open the fast”.

The principle of breaking fast is very advisable that we eat food that is easily digested, so it does not upset our stomach that has been resting for so long. High calorific value and fluid food will help recover our stamina and substitute for a lot of wasted fluid from our body during the day.

Eating dates (“kurma”) and drinking a sip of water can be the first two things we can do when breaking fast. Besides the health benefit, both are able to immediately recover the weak condition of our body. Another old-time favourite food and drink that we all love is braised banana with palm sugar and coconut gravy (“kolak pisang”)

”Kolak pisang” is a local dessert that we should all be familiar with throughout Indonesia’s vast archipelago. Some hotels, cafes and restaurants put this sweet dessert on their everyday menu list. To make it ourselves, it only requires a few easy and simple steps. Will this be one of your favourites during this Ramadan season? What is your favourite Ramadan 2010 food?

Bali remains at the forefront of the tourism industry in Indonesia, recently receiving the award for the best Spa destination in the world to add to its previous list of world tourism and hospitality awards. To cater to the growing number of tourists a whole host of new hotels have recently opened with more expected to be completed later this year and in 2010.

Food, Hotel & Tourism Bali will once again be held alongside the famous Salon Culinaire organised by the Bali Culinary Professionals. Bali’s best young chefs will once again test their culinary expertise in a exciting mix of competitions.

Over 5,000 square meters of exhibition space will be filled by thousands of enthusiastic visitors and exhibitors representing Food and Beverage (F&B) equipment suppliers and products during the three-day Food, Hotel & Tourism Bali 2010 exhibition from 11 to 13 March 2010.

Headquartered at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) at Nusa Dua, Bali, FHT Bali 2010 promotes all things connected to hotel and restaurant operations. This includes state-of-the-art kitchen equipments, room accessories, guest supplies, imported and local food products, software and hardware computer systems and the raw materials used in the preparation of F&B products.

Every day during the show a series of chef’s competitions will be conducted by Bali’s Salon Culinaire. On display will be wedding cakes, bread shows, fruit and vegetable carving, ice carving, creative table set up, fine dining menu competitions and an entire range of cooking competitions.

How to find us

• Exhibition: FHT Bali 2010
• When: 11 – 13 March 2010, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Where: Nusa Dua, Bali
• Building: Bali International Convention Center (BICC)
• Booth Location: Hall B Stand No. 49 (B49)

To visit our booth, you can simply download, fill in and print your own E-Registration ticket. We are looking forward to seeing you all there

This competition is supported by Bali Culinary Professionals and Department of Culture & Tourism, Republic of Indonesia.

Organic food has become a hot topic among all of us these days especially for us who lives in a developing country like Indonesia. We heard more and more people talking about eating organic food and the health benefits that we can get out of it. The food we consume everyday is important to our daily life and as we are getting older, our body needs the right kinds of food to ensure our well being are properly maintained physically and mentally.

Many people purchase organic food because they believe it has more benefits and is healthier than conventionally grown food. The advantages of organic food have been a hot topic for more than a decade now but it wasn’t until relatively recently that these benefits were supported by more than just hearsay.

Nutritional Benefits

According to research studies by scientists, it has been proven that organic foods, including fruit, vegetables and milk, may be more nutritious than non-organic produce. Organic foods have higher levels of many disease-fighting antioxidants and essential vitamins that are highly beneficial for our bodies, including Vitamin C. “On average, our research found higher vitamin C, higher mineral levels and higher phytonutrients – plant compounds which can be effective against cancer.”

Nicer & Better Taste

Yes, organic foods do taste better than conventionally produced foods. Many studies have found levels of specific vitamins, flavonoids or antioxidants in organic foods to be higher than the levels found in conventional foods. Many of the antioxidants are poly-phenols, flavonoids and other volatile compounds, which are responsible for a high proportion of the flavours in the foods we eat. The greater the amount of these protective compounds, the greater the flavours, hence tastier and more appetising.

Healthier Environment

Last but not least, organic food and farming reach far beyond our own health and well-being. Organic food is safer for our entire planet – our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and generation after generation, will be able to live longer in a much healthier environment. Scientific studies are beginning to show that that eating organic food results in lower levels of pervasive chemicals in humans, hence preserving humankind civilisation even longer.

With antioxidants that prevent heart disease, cancers, anti-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, should we start eating organic foods from now on?

Panggung cokelat ini berhasil memperoleh penghargaan dari Museum Rekor Indonesia (MURI) dengan kategori “Backdrop Panggung Berlapis Cokelat Ukuran 12x3x7m”. Backdrop diciptakan hampir menyerupai gedung, dibuat dari tumpukan bakery, cokelat dan permen. Pembuatan panggung ini merupakan sebagian daripada rangkaian acara The Flavours of Ramadhan yang juga menampilkan pameran produk pengusaha bakery di Jakarta, beberapa dari daerah dan memasarkan peralatan memasak.

Acara ini turut dimeriahkan oleh chef pelawak dan bintang tamu seperti Miss Indonesia 2009, Karenina Sani Halim dan band penghibur Kahitna yang membawakan 4 lagu hit mereka. Beragam stan-stan penjual kue dapat ditemukan seperti Breadtalk, Grand Cities, Ellane, Shokupan, Creole Chocolates, Leluxe dan masih banyak lagi. “Cokelat tidak saja nikmat dan menyehatkan tapi bisa melapisi atau dibentuk menjadi suatu maha karya benda seni. Kembali rekor MURI dicatatkan untuk inovasi cokelat backdrop panggung terbesar.” tutur salah satu media. Kita semua dapat berbangga karena sekali lagi Indonesia berhasil menunjukan kreativitas-nya yang tidak kalah dari dunia Internasional.

Ingredients

• 1 boneless chicken of about 200 grams in weight
• 3 raw eggs
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh milk
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ sliced onion
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Sliced of ginger for optional
• Oil for deep frying

Soup base

• 2 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 3 tablespoon of mirin
• 3 tablespoon of water
• ½ teaspoon of bonito soup stock
• ¼ teaspoon of sugar

How to cook

1. Cut the fat of chicken on both sides slightly
2. Flatten both sides of chicken by using a meat tenderising mallet or the blunt edge of a knife
3. Pour some salt and pepper on both sides of the meat for seasoning
4. Whisk one egg with fresh milk
5. Coat the meat in flour entirely
6. Dip the chicken in the mixture of beaten egg
7. Pat the coated meat in bread crumbs until it is completely covered
8. Preheat oil in Ellane Electric Fryer to approximately 170°C
9. Put the meat into preheated hot oil and fry the coated chicken until it becomes golden brown
10. Remove the chicken from the fryer and drain it for about 10 minutes
11. Mix soy sauce, mirin, water, and sugar on Chefer iPan and simmer it
12. Add some sliced of onion into the sauce until the sauce boils
13. When the chicken cools down, slice the meat to two-finger-width pieces. Then put those pieces of chicken onto Chefer iPan containing boiling sauce and simmer it for few minutes
14. Beat the remaining two eggs in a bowl
15. Spill out the beaten egg over the chicken and sauce it
16. Serve steam rice in a bowl and place the simmered chicken on the top of steam rice
17. Put some ginger on the side of the plate if desired

Wonder what “Dirty Duck” in Ubud Bali is? For tourists who are visiting the beautiful island of Indonesia, Bali, should not miss to eat “Dirty Duck”. “Dirty Duck” (famously known as “Bebek Bengil”) is actually a restaurant name in Ubud, Bali. It is very well-known for its crispy fried duck served with Indonesian vegetables and delicate sambal (chili). How does “Bebek Bengil” taste? Tasty, yummy, crispy, delicious and mouth-watering! Well at least that’s the comments from our people who recently visited Bali and tried the food.

Many said “Bebek Bengil” actually came from a secret family recipe, but they eventually shared it. The mystery behind the crispiness of the ducks is that they are marinated for 36 long hours in Indonesian herbs and spices including bay leaves, lime, ginger, galangal, coriander. Why take such long 36 hours? Well, that’s part of the secrets. Once marinated, they are steamed and then deep-fried in palm oil to get the crispy touch, then voila! The famous Bebek Bengil crispy duck is born.

Bebek Bengil restaurant offers the option to dine on balai-balai, which is the raised wooden sitting platforms available around the restaurant. Sitting and eating on one of these raised floor platforms is often called “lesehan” style. If you want to do this, you probably should reserve one of these platforms beforehand. Eating in one of these platforms/gazebos, surrounded by rice fields and a marvelous garden, will indeed elevate your appetite.

With shoes and sandals off, sitting on the platform lesehan style with pillows, just shooting the evening breeze while staring at the verdant rice paddies, the ambience and atmosphere are certainly hard to beat. Our plate of crispy fried duck and rice finally came, to be eaten with our fingers. Under the deliciously crispy duck skin was lean, but tender and full of flavours duck meat. This was served with some nice flavoured urap made with green beans. Perfect! When it comes to price, we have sort of expected it would be heftily priced by the Indonesian standards, but then again it is Bali and one always pays for the great food and ambience.

Bebek Bengil (Dirty Duck Diner)
Padang Tegal Road
Ubud 80571
Bali, Indonesia

Now is your turn to tell us about your Bali or “Bebek Bengil” experience? Please feel free to share and tell us your opinion and experience.

During the month of Ramadan, Sailendra Restaurant presents a variety of dishes from Jordan. Jordan-like dishes in the Middle East generally, are often preceded by appetizers called meze. Usually a dish of pita bread accompanied with various option spreads or ‘cocolan’, such as houmous, tabouleh, baba ganoush, mutabbal, and fattoush. Of all kinds of spreads, hummus is a popular one worldwide.

Hummus is made from cooked chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) which are finely mashed and blended with tahini (sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic.

Ramadan buffet dish can also be tasted at Cafe Gran Via at Grand Melia Hotel which presents a variety of traditional foods from the Indonesian archipelago. And, each time Grand Melia Hotel promotes Indonesian cuisine, visitors will flood with excitement craving for the food.

Other menu, among others, is bakwan malang, mie kocok, soto ambengan Surabaya, rawon, and gudeg. Small cakes and pastries assortment such as kue cucur, sarang semut, carabikang, jentik manis, apem and so on are also available.

Many star hotel restaurants provide menu with a sense of home kitchen that makes visitors wanting to regularly come back for more. Their chefs often call or sms the guests and customers to tell the menu. Imagine the taste of scrumptiously delicious Indonesian cuisine, you definitely miss it!

Korean Barbeque is also introduced during this month of Ramadan. Sliced beef dishes complement Korean BBQ dish. Indian dishes, such as chickens, goats, and buttered naan bread, also become one of the options for fast breaking. Throughout this month, star hotel restaurants are always filled with visitors to fast break.

When & Where:
Date: 8 – 11 August 2009
Exhibition Hours: 10:00 – 19:00 wib
Venue: Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran, Jakarta, Indonesia

Featuring:
Bakery & Confectionery (Bakery Indonesia)
Bakery & Confectionery, Machinery, Equipments, Supplies, Ingredients

Food & Hospitality
Wine & Spirits, Equipments, Supplies, Storage, Services & Related Technology for Hotel, Catering, Restaurant, Cafe, Supermarket

Food Ingredients
Food Additives, Food Chemicals, Food Ingredients, Food Materials

Herbal & Health Food
Herbal & Health Food and Food Supplements

Retail & Franchising
Franchising & Licensing, Business Opportunity

For Visitors:
* We warmly welcome everyone of you to visit our booth, PT Dinamika Agra Alam. Any question or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact us.
* Please register online and bring your registration printout to save the entrance fee (Rp. 25.000).

Supported By:
* Ministry of Trade of Indonesia
* Ministry of Industry of Indonesia
* Ministry of Health of Indonesia
* Indonesia Packaging Federation
* POM Badan Pengawas Obat & Makanan RI
* Indonesia Association of Exhibition & Convention Organizers
* Singapore Manufacturers’ Association