WoI - World Of Indonesia

Tumpeng is a cone shaped rice surrounded by assorted of Indonesian dishes. Traditionally featured in the selamatan ceremony, the cone shape of rice is made by using cone-shaped weaved bamboo container. The rice itself could be plain steam rice, uduk rice (cooked with coconut milk), or yellow rice (rice colored with kunyit (turmeric)). The rice surrounded by assorted of Indonesian dishes, such as urap vegetables, fried chicken, semur (beef in sweet soy sauce), teri kacang (anchovy with peanuts), fried prawn, telur pindang (boiled marble egg), shredded omelette, tempe orek (sweet and dry fried tempeh), perkedel kentang (mashed potato fritters), perkedel jagung (corn fritters), sambal goreng ati (liver in chilli sauce), and many other things.

Tumpeng dated back to ancient Indonesian tradition that revered mountains as the abode of ancestors and gods. The cone-shaped rice meant to mimics the holy mountain. The feast served as somekind of thanks giving for the abundance of harvest or any other blessings. Because of its festivities and celebrative value, up until now tumpeng sometimes used as Indonesian counterpart of birthday cake. (source)