Meet, Eat and Learn

My status says in my other site says:"Have a Meet and Eat date with
my Muslim girlfriend today at 17:00. Looking at the how to get to
her place sketch, I think it will be just about 20.39 when I reach
her flat...sunset in Germany. We can eat.”
The delay of the train gave me a plus point.I managed to be just on
the time she wanted us to be in her apartment. Was ahead of the other
women and had time to try on some batik loose blouses from
Indonesia left to her by her friend.
Then our starters of sliced baguettes with German red cherries and
American yellow cheeries which we easily finished with sparkling wine
brought by another woman guest to post celebrate her birthday.
Weather was grey looking like the sun has set early that day.
Kani informed us that she could break her fast as she was not feeling
well so my fear of getting the first bite only after 8.30pm that day
was unfounded.
Soon she was calling us to her kitchen/dining room and surprised us
with a festive serving of Nasih kuning or yellow rice with
accompaniments of rendang ayam (chicken rendang,) semur or beef
cooked in soya sauce, serundeng (roasted spicy coconut) gado-gado,
steamed vegetables with peanut sauce and krupuk - prawn crisps.
For our dessert: Sweet potatoes and bananas cooked in coconut milk
and Rujak, mixture of tropical fruits i.e. mangoes, pineapples,
carambola (balimbing) sprinkled with grounded peanuts and drizzled
with spicy tamarind sauce.
Between our bites and second servings, we talked about Indonesian
languages, rituals in Bali, about the existing caste system in
Indonesia and the status of homosexuals in Germany and in the home
countries of the invited guests.
Kani even patiently taught each one of us how to weave pandan leaves
used as decoration for the offerings to the different gods and spirits.
And as especial treat, every woman brought home a doggie bag of her
festive meal. What a thoughtful hostess. I asked her what she would
be doing and cooking at the end of Ramadan. Sneaky me!
Terimah Kasih, Kani! Salamat! Danke! Thank You!

Pinay von Alemanya