Pandan leaves lent these crepes their bright green color. Durian contributed a perfume that was lush and pervasive: After a spell in close quarters, ordinary cream had become durian cream.
Previously: Although both tinutuan and bubur kampiun (shown below) are Indonesian porridges, you'd never mistake one for the other. The first is also called bubur Manado, after the capital of North Sulawesi province; this version added corn, spinach, and kabocha to a base of rice congee, while salty fish and a fiery sambal (not shown) provided finishing touches. The second, literally "champion porridge," is a West Sumatran dessert medley that combined glutinous rice balls in syrup, plantain with palm sugar, and spiced custard, all on a base of rice flour cooked with coconut milk. One is savory, the other, sweet (and, for me, both were on the house).
That these two porridges look nothing alike helps illustrate the range of Indonesian regional cuisines. Consider that, in the United States, the whole hog barbecue of eastern North Carolina and the brisket and ribs of the Hill Country west of Austin, Texas, are separated by some 1,300 miles, as the crow flies. Add a further 400 miles to the flight, swap out the crow for the Javan hawk-eagle, and you'll have an idea of the distance from North Sulawesi to West Sumatra. Indonesia is a big country, with many different foodways; this monthly bazaar is a great place to explore them.
Indonesian Gastronomy Association bazaar
Elmhurst Memorial League, 8824 43rd Ave. (near Whitney Ave.), Elmhurst, Queens
www.Facebook.com/IGA.Bazaar
Monthly, more or less
