CELEBRATE INDONESIANS’ INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH RED AND WHITE PORRIDGE

Source: unsplash by Tusik Only

There is so much to do before the big event on the 17th of August, like painting the yard, mall decorations, and everything with red and white shade. One of the many activities you can do to join this yearly hype is by cooking some traditional local food, typically served on that day. I recommend Red and White Porridge. The creamy, sweet taste and the smooth chewy texture are truly delightful

The Philosophy of Red and White Porridge

Red and White Porridge is one of the well-known traditional foods of Indonesia, specially adapted from Javanese culture. This cuisine is usually made for a ceremony - when parents give their baby a name. Red signifies blood, and white is for the cell, this porridge is also a symbol of gratitude and blessings from God. Red and White Porridge are served for many occasions - birthdays, anniversary ceremonies, and festivals, to celebrate and wish for good fortune to the newborn baby. That's why this cuisine is usually served on the 17th of August, to celebrate Indonesia's reborn from colonialism and wish only for great fortune to come in the years to come.

Well, back to this 'porridge,' the red porridge is not entirely red but brown. It is called red because it uses 'gula aren' which is actually brown sugar but is known as red sugar in Indonesia. This red part is sweet, smooth, and thick. While the white paste has a similar texture as the red one but is lighter, with a savory taste from coconut milk.

Red and White Porridge Recipe

Source: Freepik.com

Although this porridge has two different colors, you can still make it all at once. This dish is easy to make and has three main ingredients: rice, brown sugar, and coconut milk. Let's look at the recipe below and start cooking!

Ingredients:

250 gr rice

200 gr red sugar or palm sugar (cook with water until liquid)

1500 ml coconut milk

2 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

2 pandan leaves (optional)

How to Make:

1. Soak the rice for about 3 hours, then wash it until it’s clean. Then cook the rice with 1000 ml water, salt, and pandan leaves until boiling. Stir consistently to avoid burning.

2. While stirring, add white sugar, then cook until smooth and thick.

3. Separate half of the porridge into another bowl, then to the rest of the porridge, add palm sugar and stir again until bubbling.

4. Pour the red part onto the plate, add the white part on the top, and garnish with pandan leaves.

5. Enjoy your warm red and white porridge.

Order Red and White Porridge

Nowadays you can enjoy red and white porridge both in ceremonies and on regular days. You can eat it for a yummy breakfast, teatime snack, or midnight snack, whenever you want. If you are too busy to cook it at home, red and white porridge can be ordered online. You can download e-commerce applications like Tokopedia or Shopee and type 'Bubur Merah Putih' in the search bar.

After all, the 17th of August is not only a day to celebrate Indonesian Independence, but for everyone to embrace life with gratitude and blessing. Yes, we celebrate our life on that day. So why don't you try feeling vibrant and alive by trying this comfort food in your home?