Nasi Ambeng (pronounced um'bng) is boiled rice served together with various side dishes. It is a
popular dish sold in restaurants and food stalls in Singapore,
Malaysia and Brunei. Nasi Ambeng is derived from Nasi Berkat
originally from Central Java, Indonesia. Nasi Berkat in turn is related to Nasi
Tumpeng, one of Indonesia's national dishes.
Before we explore Nasi Ambeng, we need to take a look at Nasi Tumpeng, a
closely related Javanese rice dish.
Nasi Tumpeng is one of Indonesia's national dishes (together with
nasi goreng, sate, soto, rendang and gado gado). Nasi Tumpeng is
served during thanksgiving slametan rituals conducted for highly significant events like birth, circumcision, marriage, Prophet's birthday, etc.
The slametan, central to Javanese village life, is a communal
feast involving prayers and religious rites. The shared meal is blessed by the rites. The slametan is pre-Islamic but have since been closely coupled with the practice of Islam in Java. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia.)
In Nasi Tumpeng, the rice (which may be plain white, yellow with
turmeric or boiled with spices) is conical to represent Mount
Gunung Semeru in East Java. (Image of Nasi Tumpeng courtesy of Wikipedia.)
In pre-Islamic Java, Mount Gunung
Semeru was believed to be the abode of gods i.e. a sacred
mountain. The dishes ringing around the cone of rice represent the
flora and fauna of Java. The custom is to have an odd number of
side dishes. The side dishes have assigned meanings. For example:
-
Eggs served with shell intact symbolise the need for preparation
and planning in life's endeavours
-
Urap or mixed vegetables represent harmonious relationships
- Catfish allude to humility
- Milkfish heralds good fortune and luck
- Anchovies represent community and unity.
(Image of Gunung Semeru courtesy of Wikipedia.)
Besides the formal Nasi Tumpeng, a simpler, more laissez-faire form of communal rice with side dishes is also served at slametan (in
place of Nasi Tumpeng). This simpler rice and dishes feast is served at slametan for occasions such as birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, funerals, reunions, or simply get togethers, etc.
Eating rice and dishes together is part and parcel of slametan rituals where the menfolk are engaged in prayers and rites while
the women prepared food - the highlight of which is the shared meal after
all the prayer rites.
Unlike Nasi Tumpeng which has fixed dishes with assigned meanings and
symbolism, this alternate version is a more laissez-faire form. There are no definitive side dishes but it would naturally reflect
the availability of ingredients at the locale.
Traditionally, the rice and dishes are laid out flat on banana leaves on the
floor and guests would sit down together to dine (with hands).
Eating rice and dishes together has a community bonding function. Eating
at a slametan is an egalitarian affair - everyone, no matter one's social
status or rank eats the same rice and dishes together. Rice and dishes
would also be brought home for those unable to attend the slametan as they
(elderly, children, the sick) too are equally part of the community.
This communal meal at the slametan has no specific name but when brought
home is known as Nasi Berkat or "Rice of Blessing". When we eat Nasi
Berkat from the slametan, we would receive blessings. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia.)
Nasi Ambeng inspired by Nasi Berkat and Nasi Tumpeng is the brainchild of
Javanese in Singapore / Malaysia. The word Ambeng came from the Javanese
word ambengan which means to sit together or to gather in the defence of
something (a cause or object). It is not clear when the dish and term Nasi
Ambeng first came about but older Javanese in Singapore remember it being served at majilis (events) and kenduris (feast) during their childhood.
The first commercial version of Nasi Ambeng is believed to be
in 1970s Singapore. The idea of a shared platter of mixed dishes is widely appealing, so Nasi Ambeng soon established itself as a hot seller. Today, Nasi Ambeng is available from restaurants and hawker stalls in
Singapore and Malaysia. Yet, if you were to go to Java today and ask a
Javanese about Nasi Ambeng, most would not have heard about the dish
🤔
Commercial Nasi Ambeng is removed from its traditional context in that
Nasi Ambeng from restaurants and hawkers are not associated with slametan
rituals i.e. it did not receive any spiritual blessing. Commercial Nasi Ambeng come in different serving sizes from a party of 2,
4, 6 or more to just a single pax. Larger serving sizes come in trays or
dulang.
Single servings are usually wrapped in a bundle with newspaper or brown
paper lined with banana leaf.
It looks like an oversize packet of nasi lemak.
Nasi Ambeng can also be served on a plate like nasi campur (mixed dish
rice).
Like traditional Nasi Berkat, commercial Nasi Ambeng also does not have
fixed side dishes and it varies from restaurant to restaurant / stall to
stall which naturally try to outdo each other to attract customers. As
such, side dishes often include non-Javanese dishes including Minangkabau
rendang, even candies in plastic wrappers, etc. Thus, in Singapore and Johor, the blending of Malay and various Indonesian ethnicities is reflected in the combination of side dishes in Nasi Ambeng.
Typically, commercial Nasi Ambeng side dishes include:
- Beef Rendang
- Kambing Rendang (lamb)
- Ayam Kleo (curry chicken)
- Ayam Salai Masak Hijau (chicken with green sambal)
- Ikan Goreng Berlada
- Udang Sambal (prawn)
- Sambal Sotong (squid)
- Sambal Terong (eggplant)
- Begedil Kentang (fried potato patty)
- Fried Tempeh
- Fried Tofu
- Urap (vegetables with grated coconut / serundeng)
- Achar (spicy vegetable pickle)
- Mee Goreng Kampung (fried noodle)
- Sambal Hitam Ikan Bilis
- Ikan Masin (salted fish)
- Salted egg
- Various sambal.
In commercial Nasi Ambeng, what is included depends on the pricing
rather than tradition or meaning.
So, there is Nasi Tumpeng, Nasi Berkat and there is Nasi Ambeng. Commercial versions of the latter have no ritual (slametan) connections and for single commercial
servings, no communal, community bonding role.
Commercial Nasi Ambeng rose in popularity since the early 2010s. When a
Peranakan restaurant in Singapore jumped on the commercial Nasi Ambeng
bandwagon in 2020 with their "Nyonya Nasi Ambeng Tray" it drew rather sharp
reactions from the Malay / Javanese community in Singapore, especially those who viewed the dish as closely tied to slametan rituals
and Javanese heritage. The "Nyonya Nasi Ambeng Tray" was quickly rebranded
"Family Tray".
Peter Yeoh said on Johor Kaki Facebook:
ReplyDelete"The first time I saw Nasi Tumpeng was at an Indonesian cultural festival held outside the National Museum in Bras Basah. I'd never seen a rice dish which looked so spectacular. We were all given a tiny portion to taste. That was back in 1990/91.
In 2011, I was on a business trip to Surabaya when the local IT manager (whom I was auditing) had a birthday celebration thrown on his behalf, and his staff brought in 𝙩𝙬𝙤 trays of Nasi Tumpeng. There were about 40 of us in the office, so each tray was enough to serve 20."