Nasi kucing
 indonesian mixed rice with various toppings, served in small portion | |
| Course | Main course |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Indonesia |
| Region or state | Yogyakarta, Central Java |
| Serving temperature | Hot or room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Rice in small portion with various side dishes wrapped inside banana leaf |
| 100 calories kcal | |
Nasi kucing (Indonesian: [ˈnasi ˈkutʃɪŋ]), also known as sěgå kucing (Javanese: ꦱꦼꦒꦏꦸꦕꦶꦁ)[1] and often translated as "cat rice"[2] or "cat's rice", is an Indonesian rice dish that originated in Central Java, primarily in the Yogyakarta, Semarang, and Surakarta areas but has since spread throughout the country. It consists of a small portion of rice with toppings, usually sambal, dried fish, and tempeh, wrapped in banana leaves.
Etymology
[edit]The term nasi kucing, literally meaning "cat rice" or "cat's rice", is derived from its portion size; it is similar in size to what the Javanese would serve to a pet cat, hence the name.[3]
Origin
[edit]Nasi kucing originated in the Yogyakarta, Semarang, and Surakarta areas,[4] but has since spread to Jakarta,[1] other parts of the country, and as far as Mecca, sold by Indonesian workers during the hajj.[4]
Presentation
[edit]Nasi kucing consists of a small, fist-sized portion of rice along with toppings. Common toppings include sambal, dried fish, and tempeh.[3] Other ingredients can include egg, chicken, and cucumber.[4] It is served ready-made, wrapped in a banana leaf, which is further wrapped in paper.[3]
A variation of nasi kucing, sega macan (English: tiger's rice) is three times the size of a regular portion of nasi kucing. It is served with roasted rice, dried fish, and vegetables. Like nasi kucing, sega macan is served wrapped in a banana leaf and paper.[5]
Sales
[edit]
Nasi kucing is often sold at a low price (sometimes as low as Rp 1,000 for nasi kucing[6] and Rp 4,000 for sega macan[5]) at small, road-side food stalls called angkringan, which are frequented by working-class people, or wong cilik, including pedicab and taxi drivers, students, and street musicians.[7] This has led to angkringan being considered the "lowest class of eatery".[6]
The owners of the angkringan themselves often come from lower socio-economic classes, may have few or no marketable skills, or originate from remote villages.[8] In order to open their stalls, they borrow money from a patron, called a juragan; that amount can be up to Rp 900,000.[9] From the daily net profits of Rp 15,000 – Rp 25,000,[10] the seller repays the patron until the debt is repaid and the seller is able to operate independently.[11]
See also
[edit]
- Nasi bogana
- Nasi campur
- Nasi goreng
- Nasi katok
- Nasi kuning
- Nasi liwet
- Nasi pecel
- Nasi uduk
- Nasi ulam
References
[edit]- ^ a b Erwin & Erwin 2008, p. 6
- ^ Mundayat 2005, p. 10
- ^ a b c Mundayat 2005, p. 83
- ^ a b c Hermanto; Purwadi, Trias; Jayadi, Fauzan (7 February 2007). "Nasi Kucing Juga Dikenal di Makkah" [Cat's Rice is Also Found in Mecca] (in Indonesian). Suara Merdeka. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ^ a b "Sega Macan Bakal Saingi Nasi Kucing" [Tiger's Rice is Ready to Compete with Cat's Rice] (in Indonesian). Kompas. 11 October 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011.
- ^ a b Yudhono, Jodi (16 April 2011). "Nasi Kucing, soal Rasa Berani Bersaing" [Cat's Rice, the Taste is Ready to Compete] (in Indonesian). Kompas. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011.
- ^ Mundayat 2005, p. 73
- ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 148
- ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 158
- ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 155
- ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 163
Bibliography
[edit]- Erwin, Lily T.; Erwin, Abang (2008). Peta 100 Tempat Makan Makanan Khas Daerah di Jakarta, Bekasi, Depok, Tangerang [Map of 100 Eateries for Unique Local Foods in Jakarta, Bekasi, Depok, Tangerang] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama. ISBN 9789792238372.
- Mundayat, Aris Arif (2005). Ritual and Politics in New Order Indonesia: A Study of Discourse and Counter-Discourse in Indonesia (Doctorate thesis). Swinburne University of Technology. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
- Suprihatin, Sri Emy Yuli (April 2002). "Hubungan Patron Klien Pedagang "Nasi Kucing" di Kota Yogyakarta" [Client-Patron Relationships of "Nasi Kucing" Sellers in the City of Yogyakarta] (PDF). Humaniora (in Indonesian). 7 (1): 147–164. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
