The Nasi Goreng I Met in the Southern Sea Taught Me "World History"—Seeing "Colonial History" Through a Single Dish | Food x Class #11

Have you ever eaten a dish called Nasi Goreng?

The first time I encountered Nasi Goreng was about 35 years ago.
It was when I was traveling in Indonesia and staying on the "Pulau Seribu" islands floating off the coast of Jakarta.

It had a unique Southeast Asian aroma, but it also tasted somewhat similar to Japanese seasoning, and I loved it.

However, that dish...
didn't just end with being "delicious."

1. Fishing without a rod and an encounter with a dish

One day during my stay, I went out to sea in a small rowboat with a local fisherman.

We were going to fish, but there was no rod in my hand.
It was a truly simple method: just wrapping the line around a gloved hand and dropping it directly into the sea.

"I wonder if I can really catch anything like this."

When I dropped the line with half-doubt, I felt a sudden weight.
As soon as I pulled it up, there was one, two, three fish I didn't even know the names of...
It was what you call a feeding frenzy.

When I brought the fish to a restaurant on the island, the staff said with a smile:

"I'll cook it for you." (It was in English, but I managed to understand. Haha)

A while later, a dish was brought to me—
that was my first encounter with Nasi Goreng.

2. Similar to fried rice, yet completely different

It looks very similar to Japanese fried rice.
But the moment I took a bite, I knew the difference.

A slightly sweet, unique aroma.
A fried egg on top, shrimp crackers on the side.
These shrimp crackers were so delicious that I couldn't stop eating them.
And next to that were a few fish that had been swimming in the sea just moments before.
Why is food while traveling so delicious?

However,
later on, I would learn that "world history" was hidden behind that taste.

3. The shape of the world changed by spices

Indonesia was a Dutch colony for a long time.
Why did a European country rule over Southeast Asia, so far away?

One of the major reasons for that is "spices."

In Europe at that time, pepper, cloves, and nutmeg were extremely expensive, traded for their weight in gold.
In an era without refrigerators, meat spoiled quickly. Spices were essential to mask the odor and improve preservation.

And many of these could only be harvested in the islands of Indonesia,
particularly the Maluku Islands, which were known as the 'Spice Islands'.

4. From a 'Sea of Conflict' to a 'Sea of Connection'

Whether or not one could obtain spices determined a nation's wealth and power.
That is why European countries crossed the seas to dominate the production sites themselves. It was more profitable to monopolize them than to buy them.

Every time I recall that sweet aroma of nasi goreng, I feel it.

'Was there this much history behind a single plate of food?'

35 years have passed since then.
Every time I see nasi goreng, I remember that southern sea.

A small boat.
A fishing line wrapped around my hand.
A fish whose name I do not even know.

The memories of my travels and world history overlap on a single plate.
And now, Indonesia is an important partner for Japan.
Many technical interns and international students live in Japan,
Japanese companies are active locally, and cultural exchange is progressing.

The sea that was once filled with endless conflict over spices
has now transformed into a sea where people come and go and cultures mingle.

Every time I smell nasi goreng, I think.

What kind of history is hidden behind a single plate of food?
Just thinking about that makes the world seem much broader.

I hope today's story serves as a trigger to remember the fun of social studies. The lesson that interprets this theme from the 'perspective of junior high school social studies' is available exclusively to members. Why not enjoy relearning together in our Saturday night social studies classroom?

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