Nasi kucing

Not to be confused with nasi kuning.

Nasi kucing
indonesian mixed rice with various toppings, served in small portion
CourseMain course
Place of originIndonesia
Region or stateYogyakarta, Central Java
Serving temperatureHot or room temperature
Main ingredientsRice in small portion with various side dishes wrapped inside banana leaf
Food energy
(per serving)
100 calories kcal

Nasi kucing (Indonesian: [ˈnasi ˈkutʃɪŋ]), also known as sěgå kucing (Javanese: ꦱꦼꦒ​ꦏꦸꦕꦶꦁ)[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

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

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

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

A seller at an angkringan, preparing tempeh with wrapped nasi kucing visible in the foreground

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

References

  1. ^ a b Erwin & Erwin 2008, p. 6
  2. ^ Mundayat 2005, p. 10
  3. ^ a b c Mundayat 2005, p. 83
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Mundayat 2005, p. 73
  8. ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 148
  9. ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 158
  10. ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 155
  11. ^ Suprihatin 2002, p. 163

Bibliography