Recipe and Craft Guide to Indonesia

Book excerpt: Capture the spirit of Indonesia—a colorful country between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific—by making these easy country recipes and crafts. Find out about some of Indonesia’s unique animals, plants, and festivals as you cook and craft your way through the country. Learn the many ways that Indonesians prepare rice, and find out how to make their favorite “fast food.” Sculpt a venomous Komodo dragon, a reptile that can run faster than many people can ride a bike. Make a rain stick and a paper flower to celebrate the rain forest. Put on a shadow puppet show for your family and friends with a puppet of the evil King Ramayana, then put it to music with the musical instruments you make from ordinary household supplies. Indonesian artisans weave fabric with designs so intricate it takes them months, sometimes years, to finish. Now you can try your hand at weaving, too. You can also dye a T-shirt using the ancient art of batik. With a few art supplies, a large bag of rice, and a dash of curiosity, you can host your own Indonesian selamatan (party)!