The Ramadan and Idul Fitri festivities in some regions are really a celebration of rice. According to Arie Parikesit, such traditional fare has been the mainstay for ages, before the influence of Dutch cuisine permeated Indonesian society. "In the past, it was unlikely we made kue bolu (cupcakes). We didn't even have wheat flour," he said. To celebrate special occasions, people selected items that were easy to obtain, like rice and sticky rice.

Arie