Ariyani

Tedjo

This was the first time I made shots of splashing drinks. I decided to go with iced tea for color and clarity. Since I wanted to have both a splash and an ice cube in the air, I used two ice cubes. Voilà! It works nicely in this frame.

The very first idea of this shot came from the little sauce dish. I was so fascinated with that and worked to find what food to shoot. I decided to have a go with Tobiko, the flying fish roe popular in Japanese cuisine. Then I played around with stones and dry ice.

Indonesian Traditional Snack Stall. Fascinated with the richness of the traditional snacks in Indonesia, I created a scene resembling a snack stall. I selected the snacks, both sweet and savory, from several regional cuisines to be "sold" here. From the popular ones across the country to ones that can only be found in specific local markets. Textures and colors definitely come into play.

The stall was set up at home; having a Javanese lady dressed in Javanese Batik as the seller. Here she is seen scooping a local Javanese snack called Tiwul (steamed cassava granules) from a snack tray called Lenjongan, which can be found in local traditional markets in Yogyakarta and Surakarta in Central Java.

A good friend of my father happens to be a Japanese chef here in Jakarta. The food in his Japanese restaurant is pretty authentic. One of my favorites is this tofu dish of Agedashi Tofu. It's deep-fried soft Japanese tofu in a flavourful broth of soy and dashi (Japanese fish stock). Garnished with green onion and katsuobushi (shaved fish flakes)

I had a chance to shoot this delish dish. I styled it with a contemporary bowl, plate, and chopsticks that also go well with Japanese food; then combined those with authentic Japanese teacups.

For Mid-Autumn Festival, Yue Bing, or traditional mooncake is not to be missed. This year, I decided to make my own. For the setup, I purposely used vintage china passed down from both my grandmothers. This way, I induced the mood of the old school vibes that traditional Chinese pastries often have. Here seen a piece of mooncake has been molded using modern, and easier to use, plastic mold; leaving the molded mooncake on the floured wooden block.

For the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, I decided to make my own mooncakes. One kind of mooncakes that I made is called snow skin mooncake as the skin is soft and slightly powdery. The skin is made of mochi dough and does not require any baking at all. For the paste fillings, I used durian purée in the blue mooncakes and custard in the white mooncake. The blue mooncakes used natural coloring from butterfly pea extract while the white ones are simply plain milk.

Agar-agar Gula Merah
A simple, homemade gelatine dessert; a favorite of my late grandfather. This is agar-agar with coconut milk and brown palm sugar. Molded-in single cups; then garnished with Kersen Cherry blossoms and accented with golden teaspoons.

Nasi Campur Donburi

A popular Indonesian rice dish consists of steamed rice with several meat and vegetable side dishes, chili paste and crackers.

The one here is a creative version in terms of the plating/serving style and side dishes picks, from several regional cuisines in Indonesia instead of from a single region.

The dishes are Balinese Shredded Chicken, Sundanese Stir-fried Yellow Bean Curd, and Javanese Stir-fried Chayote Squash. Garnished with thin slices of Japanese cucumber and a lime half.

Usually, the rice dish is plated on a plate, but this one is plated in a Japanese style donburi bowl. Hence, the presentation is geared toward Japanese with a pair of chopsticks, Japanese condiment saucer for the chili paste; all arranged on a tray as a Teishoku. The Peanut Crackers are served separately and placed next to the tray.

Japan truly captivates me. Its wonderful array of traditional teas is fascinating.

The hotel where I stayed in Tokyo provides a wide selection of teas, including the Japanese green tea of Sencha. A fine, artisanal Japanese tea set is also provided in the room to enjoy the teas. Being fascinated with the tea set, too, I decided to make a photoshoot to capture the beauty of the tea and tea set. So I created the shooting set using available furniture and lighting in the room; then ran downstairs to the florist in the nearby Shimbashi station to get some blossoms and leaves for this tea photo shoot.

So here they are, the golden flow of Sencha and the charming tea set that are to stay in the memory.

Fascinated with Japanese food and drink while on a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, I created this cocktail of Ume (Japanese Plum) and Sake (Japanese Rice Wine).

A rare kind of gourmet seasoning, Vintage Merlot Salt. I was mesmerized by it's bold and brilliant so decided to give it a try for my cooking. Before I did, I took the time to play with and capture it.

Sugaring the Poffertjes. This little snack is a favorite in the family. Originated and popular in the Netherlands, it is also popular in Indonesia as a former Dutch colony.

The poffertjes are plated in several small plates in various sizes and styled in a moody dark scene.

Dabu-dabu Salsa, or locally known as Sambal Dabu-dabu, is a signature condiment of fresh salsa from Minahasan cuisine in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Chopped tomatoes, shallots, and red and green peppers are mixed together with some limau lime juice. For this version, I used cherry tomato for its stylish appearance; while some basil leaves are scattered on top of the salsa. This condiment goes very well with grilled seafood dishes, especially of the fresh catch from the surrounding coastal water.

A traditional Sundanese warm drink of spiced tea latte called Bandrek. A concoction of ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, cloves, pandan leaf then mixed with coconut milk. A popular drink to be enjoyed during cold weather or rainy season.

Sambal Oelek, the most popular Indonesian spicy condiment that goes well with many local dishes. Red chili peppers crushed into rough paste in a traditional stoneware mortar and pestle, with some tomatoes and fermented shrimp paste added. Just before serving, a dash of fragrant limau kasturi lime juice is added to the paste for some fresh tart and aroma.

Ketupat, one of several kinds of Indonesian rice cakes which is cooked in diamond-shaped casing made of woven coconut palm leaves. This particular rice cake is popular throughout Java, Bali and also in West Sumatra. Its popularity is increased during the Eid celebrations (with the exception of Bali as majority of Balinese does not celebrate Eid).
Here in the image are dozens of ketupat casings ready to be filled with some rice and then cooked. All the props used in the image are traditional kitchen items used daily at home. The textile in the background is Indonesian Batik cloth.

Chocolate with Red and Green Candy Sprinkles for Christmas.
Heavenly combination for my sweet tooth craving. Have been my favourite since childhood time; a goodie to look forward to on Christmas.

Traditional Javanese mutton curry soup, or locally known as Gulai Kambing. Chunks of mutton and the ribs, cooked in spice-rich coconut milk. Must be served while hot; and for those who want extra heat in the meal can add some red chili paste. The soup is commonly accompanied with steamed rice.

Kari Bihun Medan.
A signature dish that marries two rich culinary cultures: Indian and Chinese. Indian's curry is fused with Chinese's noodle soup; hence the creation of this Curry Noodle Soup, locally known as Kari Bihun.
Rich and spicy curry soup with chicken and potato is poured into bowls of rice noodles or vermicelli. Sprinkled with crispy fried shallots and garnished with coriander leaves.
Usually found as a street food dish in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia; now it is stylishly served in chic crockeries and cutleries.

Jaja Batun Bedil.
Traditional Balinese snack of glutinous rice balls in coconut sugar syrup and grated coconut.
A popular street food commonly found in traditional market in Bali; now luxuriously presented in stylish crockery and chic serving tray. Two blooms of frangipani, flowers that are abundantly found in Bali, are used to decorate the tray.