No Necessity to Cook Up Storm Over 'Rendang' - Indonesian Culinary Expert

By Ahmad Fuad Yahya JAKARTA, June 28 (Bernama) -- A leading Indonesian culinary expert says, there is no need to cook up a storm over the delectable 'rendang' (a type of savoury preparation used to cook beef or chicken). William Wongso said thus, there was no necessity to patent the 'rendang' although it originated from West Sumatra. He said Indonesians should not be apprehensive about the dish being claimed by other countries, especially Malaysia. "The cuisine need not be patented. Let them claim it because apparently, people from West Sumatra's Minangkabau ethnic group have also migrated and settled there," Wongso was qouted as saying by English daily Jakarta Post on Thursday. Wongso was speaking in Padang, West Sumatera, where he was judge at the two-day West Sumatra Rendang Cooking Festival which ended on Thursday. The culinary expert cited the Japanese 'sushi' and 'sashimi', as well as Korean fare 'galbi', as food that had not been patented. "Japan and Korea have never registered the dishes for patent. They are instead, happy that their dishes are eaten everywhere," he said. "The important thing was to communicate the right method of preparing 'rendang' outside of West Sumatra as the taste of 'rendang' served by many restaurants outside Indonesia was not good enough, with some even tasting differently," he noted. He cited a 'rendang' dish in the Netherlands that tasted like 'semur' (a Javanese dish), which tastes sweet. “Many people cook 'rendang' but they wish to cook it quickly, whereas in fact, it should be simmered slowly and with patience,” said Wongso. He said the 'rendang' in Malaysia was also different from that in West Sumatra because it was influenced by Indian food which was rich in dried and aromatic Indian spices, using not only beef or buffalo meat, but also chicken. “To me, 'rendang' that is not overcooked or burnt is not 'rendang', as long as it is not bitter. "Coconut milk, which is mixed with other ingredients and simmered slowly, creates an extraordinary aroma in the 'rendang',” he said. -- BERNAMA