Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine July 2014 | Page 93

Explore | Flavours

It’s hard to imagine visiting a place during
Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, to try
its cuisine. But there I was in Medan on a
culinary pilgrimage to sample the specialities
of the archipelago at the iconic Masjid Raya
Medan, the Great Mosque of Medan. I was
told that this is the place to see serious
gastronomic action under one roof, and
serious is certainly the operative word.
Built in 1909, the octagonal-shaped Masjid
Raya Medan is a mix of Arab and Indian
design – Moghul chic comes to mind –
and is resplendent with the obligatory
wall-to-wall marble, stained-glass windows
and floral motifs. It’s one of Indonesia’s
largest mosques and a well-known
must-see tourist destination.
During Ramadan, the grounds of the mosque
become the grand dining hall for everyone
in town. We arrived at sundown amidst the
crowds, and I mean crowds, who were
breaking their fast. I stood at the entrance
of the stadium-sized food bazaar mesmerised
by the numbers and, oh yes, the amount
of food. Thousands of food stalls as far
as the eye could see, buzzing, blazing in fact,
under fluorescent lights shimmering with
the high-speed action of cooking for the
masses. And if that wasn’t enough, food
sellers were weaving their way between
the tightly crammed tables selling every type
of skewered snack, from tofu to tempeh
and prawns, as well as trays of durian
pancakes and assorted cakes. Outside this
culinary meeting place were rows of food
carts selling sliced fruit and drinks to ease
the locals out of the day’s abstinence, stage
one. There were so many dishes I had never
seen. I felt like a kid in a candy shop staring
at the variety of food on sale. This is where
you come to see the world of Indonesian
cooking, from martabak of every kind,
to satays, curries, soups, sweet dishes, cakes
and iced drinks, while inhaling a dizzying
dose of street-food ambiance.
Traditionally, dates are eaten to buka puasa, as
according to legend the Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH) broke his fast in this manner. But
from what I could see, people started the
evening celebrations with fruit, cendol or
simply a glass of hot tea, and then a dinner of
champions followed, perhaps lasting until the
wee hours. And it is not only the food that
flows after sundown. Restaurants enjoy a
healthy cash flow during Ramadan, and while
they might be closed during the day they are
usually overflowing until late.
Masjid Raya was not the only place teeming
with Ramadan activity. Just about every
restaurant in Medan was busy with the
fasting month. I dropped into Garuda
restaurant, a well-known restaurant chain

I was in Medan on a culinary
pilgrimage to sample
the specialities of the
archipelago at the iconic
Masjid Raya Medan...

in Indonesia famous for its Minang cuisine,
and grabbed a snack of fish-head soup,
cassava leaves and my favourite green chilli
sambal before the onslaught of eating action.
Tables had been reserved for large groups
and copious amounts of rendang of beef and
chicken, various gulai, cassava leaves, sambal
and more were awaiting the rush. For those
who prefer to eat at home during Ramadan,
a healthy take-away trade also prevails with
catering available. An ocean of boxes were
being filled with nasi padang at Garuda for
dine-at-home buka puasa gatherings.
It was the same at Mie Aceh Titi Bobrok.
I arrived just before sunset and the place
was already overflowing with those waiting
patiently to break their fast. Carts of dazzling
fat yellow noodles had been cooked in
advance and when the clock ticked sundown

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