Sunday, October 14, 2007

Lebaran Gatherings

After about five years of absence for Lebaran Day in Indonesia, we finally made it this year to join our big family for the celebration! (Here is a short post from last year about our family tradition, in Indonesian). On Saturday, Oct 13th, my mother and an aunt left early in the morning (right after sunrise) to my other aunt's house - where the event took place - to help preparing food, room, etc. The rest of us started to come at about 09.30; kids went playing rightaway, women got busy in the kitchen and dining room, men talked among each other and/or listened to my grandma, who seemed to be in a jolly mood despite her decreasing ability to identify her own children, grand children and great grand children.

The dishes we had were clearly predictable but nonetheless are very much anticipated each year the moment comes. Ketupat, or 'squared rice', is a classic, accompanied by sambel goreng ati (spicy liver), opor ayam (chicken in coconut milk) and rendang (spicy beef). This year, my cousin Chica cooked sambel goreng udang (spicy prawn), repeating last year's success. It was a superb dish! Even I took more and more of it, despite my common reluctance to eat sambal or anything hot.
There was also sayur godog (soupy boiled veggies) and all sorts of condiments, not to mention desserts (mixed fruit salad, cakes, fresh fruits and more) and refreshments (the classic family fruit punch is always available!). Accompanied by the best of laugh with family and friends, Lebaran food can never taste better!

That day was also a milestone for our kids: it's their first time to do sungkem, or kneeling before the elderlies to ask for forgiveness and to receive prayers. Dhanu was hesitant, but his turn came much later (my mother was the second youngest of her siblings) so he could first watch and learn from the others who did their turns. I had to nail him down to his seat to watch the procession (which was fun, since almost everyone in the room were shouting advices as if coming from my grandma during one's turn) and went with him to face my grandma for his turn. Lindri was more easy for this; she was taken to my grandma by her father without needing too much encouragement, for she has seen everyone did the same. After the sungkem ritual was over, the kids' most-awaited moment came: 'envelope' distribution! I remember the days when it was our turn to receive them, the excitement and delight - and now it's our turn (those who are already parents) to give them away to nieces and nephews.            

Not long afterwards, we had to leave the house to go to my father's brother who also celebrates Idul Fitri, where my father's siblings and their families usually gather on Lebaran Day. Our program here usually includes more eating (for those with rubber stomach), more chatting and more laughing. Dhanu and Lindri got to meet and play with more aunts and uncles and distant cousins. All in all, it was a busy and tiring day, but we all had our fun.       


Happy Idul Fitri to all of you dear friends
May the new days bring us peace and happiness



Photos taken from Chica's Lebaran 2007 album (for her network only) - thanks, sepupu!

56 comments:

  1. wah, sambel goreng udang-nya kayaknya yummy...... aku masih ingat cerita mu ttg tradisi lebaran itu... seru abis. you're lucky to be in such plural family!!

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  2. sambel gorengnya menarik pisan euy.....
    met lebaran ibu....

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  3. lucu jg liat ekspresi Dhanu (biar cuma keliatan dikit), pasti dia ngerasa aneh ya. Taun depan pasti lebih lancaaarrr :))

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  4. Eid Mubarak buat yang merayakan.
    Bhinneka tunggal ika....! Merdeka! :D

    ps: Ta, dulu sekolah katoliknya di mana sih? (abis baca blog yang diacu di atas) Di Jakarta Selatan yang beken suka kerendem, ya? Ehehehehheehheheheheehehheheheheheeee.....

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  5. mer: itu yummy banget! gue ampe rela kepedesan.. hihihi.. thanks :D

    theresa: thank you :)

    vhe: ehh ada anak rantau :D selamat lebaran ya vhe, salam utk keluarga

    LiTa: iya tu dia kagok banget. eh lita, sambel goreng udang itu kabarnya resepmu ya, manstappfff!

    kuc: ehh gue dulu waktu kecil masih di jakarta barat, jadi sekolahnya bukan yg suka kerendem di selatan itu.. hihi..

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  6. Tita, ternyata ada tradisi angpao2an juga yah pas hari lebaran.... apakah amplopnya juga berwarna merah? :)

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  7. Itu photo sambal goreng udangnya mengundang selera makan... so pasti anak-anak senang yaa ketemu banyak tante dan oomnya bagi2 ang pao

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  8. haha.. merah ada, ijo ada (soalnya kemaren ada yg bikin amplop dari kertas warna, biar bisa warna-warni!)..

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  9. udangnya emang semok banget :)
    iya anak2 seneng reramean sama sodara2nya, yg pada jarang2 ketemuan

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  10. aduh tita, itu sambel kok di pamer. kan bikin gw nge "gleg"...

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  11. Hihihihi.. yg lo pilih foto yg paling menggoda memang :D

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  12. Haduh, itu foto sambel gorengnya bikin *ceglug*... Asik ya kumpul2. Dhanu kayaknya masih malu2 sungkeman-nya tapi kalo jadi tradisi bakalan mahir juga... :)

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  13. oh tentuuu.. dan itu hidangan juara hari itu! ;))

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  14. memang dia masih canggung pas sungkem, tapi cepat mengerti ketika pada bersorak2 acara pembagian amplop :P

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  15. wah...asik yaa...met lebaran ta dan keluarga...

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  16. hiks..saya ngaku..saya dulu sekolah di sekolah katolik di jakarta selatan yang sering kerendem itu..

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  17. sepupu *hugs*
    taun depan dibikinin si sambel goreng udang lagi yah. makasih buat lita yang udah bagi-bagi resepnya :)

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  18. Wadoh, itu sambel goreng udangnya chica menggoda sekalee!

    Maaf lahir batin buatmu dan keluarga dari kita Plon!

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  19. hehehe, makasih kembali Chic, itu klo gak salah gara2 gue bikin ketupat komplit waktu lebaran bbrp tahun lalu dan pajang fotonya di MP ya :D

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  20. kalo gue malah taunya dari heri. trus loe kan pernah kasih sambel goreng udang sama rendang ke heri dan gue (yang loe anterin ke kantor gue waktu itu). sejak itu gue jatcin sama si sambel goreng ini..rendangnya juga, cuma gue gak sanggup bikin rendang *lempar pandangan membunuh ke nat*

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  21. kapan pulang tak bikinin mbak..
    pake petenya sekebon juga hayuk !

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  22. iya bener Chic, barusan gue nyari2 foto ketupat komplit itu, dan emang Heri minta bikinin waktu itu. Ini dia , rupanya baru Januari 2006 kok :D

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  23. haduh, gue jadi inget punya utang bikin rendang buat Nath! Masih ada sih, tp untuk Nath pasti udah gak cukup... Ntar deh klo maid dah balik gue bikinin lagi...
    eh elo juga bikin rendang kan Chic, kan ada di foto2 elo..

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  24. tinta lid, gue biasanya beli di sederhana. yang kemaren itu rendangnya yang bawa nyokapnya tita

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  25. devi: selamat idul fitri yaa, juga utkmu dan keluarga

    chic: aahh spp >:D< trims foto2nya.. dan tentu saja, masakannya! aku udah gak tahannya sejak ngintip2 di dapur ketika baru dateng itu, pas kamu sedang nggoreng udangnya dan nggerus sambelnya ;))

    makplon: ahh kangeeen *muah* selamat lebaran utk the schindlers, juga utk keluarga besar makplon! :*

    LiTa: haha iya gue barusan liat foto2 itu.. semok banget emang ya masakanlu yg ini :D

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  26. chicaluna: alasan gue nanya adalah.... --> jaman SMA yang di daerah pasar baru itu, gue pernah ke melawai plaza, masih pake seragam taplak. terus, ada anak2 yang dari sekolah yang suka kerendem ngelihat gue, dan bilang gini: oooh... ini ya yang dari lapangan banteng, pantesan kayak banteng! huadhuh! provokasiiiiii... provokasiiiiii..... !

    tita: kalau di jakarta barat... hahahahhaaaa... Sang Timur ya? :D

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  27. Keluarga besarmu memang bikin ngiri, Ta.
    Kompak dan makan makan terus.

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  28. tita/chica: ooooooh.... itu pete ya??? dari sini kelihatannya seperti pistachio!!

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  29. astaga :))
    di MP saya pete ini jadi bahan bahasan yang lumayan rame lho :))

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  30. chaerani: tingkat apresiasiku ke pete belum setinggi itu euy :))

    sisc: drama2 kecil sih tetep ada sisc, tapi makan2 dan ngumpul2 teteppp dong :))

    kuc: efek ijo cerah kali ya? hahaha

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  31. Ahh...kumpul keluarga, sungkeman & angpao (dikeluargaku waktu kita kecil pake acara petasan juga...seru kalau inget-inget)..emang gak ada duanya deh.....Met berkumpul keluarga dan berhari raya ya..btw itu sambel goreng udang pete'nya cihuy bangets!!

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  32. rasti: hehe trims! selamat berhari raya juga. mirip ya tradisinya. nah kembang apinya menyusul, anak2 ama ponakan2 yg lagi pada nginep di bandung barusan pada kelar main kembang api (bukan petasan, soalnya nggak ada yg suka berisiknya) :D

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  33. whoaaa...seruuu...itu bakalan jadi pengalaman tak terlupakan loh..aku aja udah tue gini kalau inget jaman-jaman kecil main petasan & kembang api ma para sepupu suka senyum-senyum bikin hati senang..=) hehehe.

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  34. di keluarga besarku jarang ada acara-acara begini... (padahal kami juga cukup plural secara reliji), boleh engga gue ikutan acara keluarga elu? adopsi gitu? ...huahahaha.. kacow nih.

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  35. rizli: masih lama kah di sana? ;)

    mer: dengan senang hatiii :)) mari jadi kakak angkatku!

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  36. bukannya disana ada rumah kedua riz...hihihihi...:P
    minal aidin wal faidzin....

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  37. oh my God.. the food.. the food! :D

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  38. *elus-elus perut buncit abis makan ketupat dan sambel goreng udang petey bareng tita*

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  39. *elus-elus perut sebelah cindih dengan alasan yang sama.. sambil kipas2 angpau..* ;))

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  40. gua jadi ngebayangin jesse dan karin kalo diajarin bbrp tatakrama indonesia, pasti jadi tantangan juga.. ;))

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  41. haha iya ya jo. mereka udah pernah belom ngalamin tantangan sejenis? :D

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  42. titaaa...senengnya kumpul keluarga, komplit makan enak pula. semoga slalu rukun sedulur ya...salam dari depok

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  43. Aih mang ave... tau aja dehh KBRI rumah kedua ku :p

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  44. hei miaaa.. hehe iya nih sesekali ngumpul di hari2 perayaan.. trims ya, salam juga buat keluarga :)

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  45. dan pizzaria, soalnya banyak amplop putih juga :))

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  46. eh eh ada apa ini.. cerita euy.. ;))

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  47. Looks like you had loads of fun....:-)

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