Java's Good Habits

banana trees

Banana Leaf
        
Banana plants grow well in each part of the island all the year round. Since early times, people has utilized the leaf as food wrap on many occasions and rituals. Although the roles are now largely replaced by plastic, the use of leaf as food wrap is advisable in response to global warming. Banana leaf can be used fresh or dry.

fried chicken, noodle, sauteed vegetables served in fresh banana leaf

          As you can see, this picture shows you how local people use fresh banana leaf to serve and send the food to neighbors and relatives. It is customary here to celebrate one's birth or marriage with a thanksgiving party and have specific menus to give away.
                                                             

tempe (soya cakes) in banana leaf

          Banana leaf  is often used to wrap tempe. Tempe is the most popular nutrition not only on the island, but all over the country. As you see on the above picture, it comes in banana leaf and used-paper. Meanwhile, dry banana leaf is normally to wrap Java sugar such as what they call "kethak" as the following picture shows.

kethak (sugary coconut cream) served in dry banana leaf

Palm Leaf

         Millions coconut trees stand tall across the island. No part of the tree is thrown away. The fruits, the leaf, the trunk, the roots serves a large number of purposes. Just as banana leaf, coconut leaf is very often used to wrap food such as ketupat, which is popular during Lebaran season.

coconut tree, with blue sky background

 

 

 

ketupat (kupat): rice cake wrapped in palm leaf

Teak Leaf

The following is a teak tree. The trunk is prestigious material to build furniture. People used to utilize the rough textured leaf to wrap raw meat and other food such as tape.

a teak tree, with a blue sky background

tape ( fermented cassava) served in teak and banana leaves

Bamboo

besek, a plaited bamboo box

krombong, carrier made of bamboo, on a motorcycle

           Table cloth is multitasking. It's frequently utilized as a carrier or wrap the shopping. Spread the table cloth, put the shopping, and join the upper right with the lower left corner, the upper left with the lower right. Simple! As you can see on the following picture, batik cloth is used to wrap coconuts.