Lontong Cap Go Meh

Do you believe in horoscope? I basically showing this skeptical attitude towards anything that predicts the future, including horoscope. So do I believe in horoscope? no, I despise being told whats going to happen in my future by anyone. Ironically enough tho, I do believe on horoscope when they are telling you about your character. I am a Pisces, and for odd reason, I always feel totally related to whatever the horoscope says about my characters. No matter what internet site or magazine I am reading about what a Pisces person like, I can really see myself on their description. Well of course they are not perfect, like saying Piscesians are lazy, I am sure that is just a misunderstanding based on poor observation. 

How about the Chinese horoscope? according Chinese Horoscope, I am a rat. Again, I can relate to their description of someone with Rat horoscope, including when they say Rat person is deeply sentimental. If deeply sentimental means bitchy, moody, and judgemental so I am all that. 

According to the Chinese calendar, 2016 is year of the Monkey. Rat horoscope for this Monkey year predicts that if I follow my intuition, it will prevent me from committing unavoidable mistakes (such as looking at horoscope sites to find out hows my monetary state and love life look like this year?). It also says that I should focus on completion of which are pending since years. It means giving up proscrastination?..  How is that different from any other year?? 

Chinese calendar usually folds in every spring, around January-February. This year it fell on 4th of February. Indonesian culture has a lot of Chinese influence, you can really see it on our cuisines and our celebrated festivals. Chinese New Year is national holiday in Indonesia. We call it Imlek. We have festivals and special food for this particular event. The New Year is celebrated for 15 days, and at the last day (day 15th) we celebrate it as Cap Go Meh day, or Lantern festival day. 

The Javanese-Chinese has this special dish during Cap Go Meh day. It called lontong Cap Go Meh. It is combination of several Javanese favorite dishes (click to get the recipe);

1. Opor Ayam (Javanese Chicken Curry) 
2. Sambel Goreng ati (beef liver fried in sambal paste), 
3. Lontong (rice cake in banana leaves),
4. Telur pindang (marbled egg),
5. Sayur Lodeh (vegetable curry soup),
6. Soya seasonings.

It is a big job preparing it since each of the dish requires long hour of cooking and lots of spices, but its all worth it. Having it all in one plate is just simply heaven!.. The combination of yellow curry taste with red curry sauce is awesome. Its literally a festive dish!! I will upload each recipe on upcoming individual posts.