I composed the recipes myself, but of course they have a basis in the Far East. My basis for Indo-Dutch cooking must have derived in part from my Java roots. Some practices are from the time I could play a part by chopping onions and garlic for my Javanese grandmother's cooking.

The Netherlands traditionally harbours Chinese-Indonesian restaurants, but the Indonesian component is losing ground, because other Asian influences are very fashionable currently. Cooking also seems to have moved to ready meals in supermarkets, and a shelf with Indonesian and other Asian and Mediterranean spice blends.

At supermarket websites sometimes half or whole cookbooks are included in commercials of "herbal mixers". At times it is very easy and tempting to purchase a wet or dry spice mixture (bumbu) from the shelf. The Bumbus have been around a long time, however the number of manufacturers has increased. The taste is usually good enough.

On the other hand, it is more exciting to compose your own spice mixture, but you would have to take the time to try and improve on it until you have the bumbu just right and/or to your taste. Then practice has been made perfect, to paraphrase a well-known saying.

It doesn't take much more time to invent something yourself with herbs and spices than using an instant herbal mixture, assuming you regularly prepare a few basic dishes like Sayur, Opor, Terik, Bumbu Bali and some side dishes. I often freeze the bumbus for later use, my own instant spice blends.

It's nice to waywardly :) prepare a meal. Colors could be very appealing, but in the first place, I think that Indo-Dutch food should taste good.