Rini Martinings wasn’t always so passionate about food.
Born and raised in Indonesia, she says ‘she couldn’t cook at all’ until she was married, and taught the tricks of the trade from her (now ex) mother-in-law.
Once she had a taste of cooking, however, she fell in love with it, and it has since become a huge part of her life and work.
When she moved to the Byron Shire, Rini started cooking at the Indonesian food stall at the Byron Community Centre markets, and for the past five years, has spent her Friday mornings serving Indonesia’s vibrant and colourful street food to shoppers at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market.
Rini’s Indonesian Kitchen stall is a favourite for quick, flavourful snacks such as chicken satay kebabs, beef Rendang, fried rice and noodles, spring rolls and Rini’s famous corn fritters. Fresh herbs, spices and Rini’s home-made curry pastes create intense flavours, often with a good whack of chilli thrown in. Her take home packs of home-made sambal (a chilli-based condiment/relish often served with Indonesian food) always sell out.
Everything is freshly made – Rini uses lemongrass, chillies, galangal and kaffir lime from her own garden, sources fresh vegetables from the farmers market and uses beef from the Hayters Hill farm near Byron Bay for the Rendang.
Traditional Indonesian sweets like banana and sticky rice, and Onde Onde- a fried sesame ball filled with sweet mung bean paste – also feature on the menu, and are a huge hit with Rini’s customers, many of whom have holidayed in Bali.
Rini says she loves the sense of community at the market.
“We went away for a few weeks and when we came back our customers said:‘where were you, you were gone too long, we were getting worried.’
“It’s nice to hear and to have customers who really care.”
Find the Indonesian Kitchen at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market every Friday.
