A Warm Evening of Indonesian Cooking at Dharma Resort
At Dharma Resort, some of the most memorable moments happen through simple things.
Recently, I guided a cooking class here at the resort, where we made two Indonesian dishes that are very close to home for me: soto ayam and perkedel jagung. They are not fancy dishes, and that is exactly why I wanted to share them.
A Simple Indonesian Meal
Soto ayam is a warm, comforting chicken soup built from a long-cooked broth, gentle spices, fresh vegetables, and nourishing toppings. Perkedel jagung, Indonesian corn fritters, are crisp on the outside, soft inside, and full of natural sweetness and texture. Together, they make a meal that feels earthy, generous, and deeply satisfying.
These dishes are simple, but they carry a lot of goodness. The broth takes time and patience. The spices bring depth and warmth. The vegetables and condiments add freshness, texture, and balance. It is humble food, but very complete food.
No Cooking Experience Needed
What I enjoy most about this class is that it is very approachable. You do not need cooking skills or any special experience to join. The process is simple, hands-on, and relaxed. Anyone can take part.
There is no pressure to do things perfectly. The class is designed to be easy to follow, so guests can enjoy the experience without feeling intimidated. It is less about technique, and more about being present with the process.
More Than a Cooking Class
For me, the value of this experience goes beyond the recipe.
When people gather around a kitchen island, chop vegetables, stir broth, and taste something new together, the atmosphere changes. It becomes easy to talk. People begin sharing thoughts, stories, and feelings in a natural way. Without trying too hard, the evening opens up.
That is often what happens during this class. What begins as a simple cooking session slowly becomes something more personal and memorable.
Sharing Food, Stories, and Time Together
By the time we sit down to eat together, there is already a sense of warmth in the room. The food is shared, but so is the experience around it.
I find this especially meaningful because these dishes bring so much into one bowl: warmth, flavour, nourishment, and comfort. In the end, the class becomes a way of feeding both body and mind at the same time.
The Dharma Resort Way
In many ways, this cooking class reflects something we value every day at Dharma Resort. We believe that wellbeing does not always need to come from something elaborate. Sometimes it comes from simple, honest experiences that help people slow down, connect, and feel restored.
This class is simple, approachable, and grounded. It invites creativity without pressure. It offers something new for the palate, while also creating space for connection. And that, to me, is what makes it meaningful.
For me, it is always a pleasure to guide this class and share a small part of Indonesian home cooking here at Dharma Resort.
Five Winter Rituals for Stillness on Muhu Island
Winter on Muhu arrives like a deep exhale.
The light turns soft. The island becomes quiet. And suddenly, life feels ready to simplify.
At Dharma, we meet winter with rituals—small practices that warm the body and clear the mind. Nothing complicated. Nothing forced. Just gentle structure that helps you return to yourself.
Here are five winter rituals we keep close.
1) The White View Ritual
Start with space.
From above, the Dharma Houses sit in a field of snow—simple lines held by silence. Winter edits the landscape down to essentials: light, shadow, texture, breath.
Try this:
Stand by a window for two minutes with no phone. Let your eyes rest on the whiteness. Notice what quiet does to your thoughts when you don’t interrupt it.
What winter gives first is space.
2) The Sauna Reset
Warmth that reaches deeper than skin.
Sauna in winter isn’t only comfort—it’s restoration. Heat softens the body’s defenses. The breath slows. The mind becomes less sharp around the edges.
Try this:
Enter slowly. Stay present with sensation. When you leave, pause before doing the next thing. Let the warmth “complete” itself in you.
This is how the nervous system remembers safety.
3) The Sit-Down Ritual
Clarity without effort.
Meditation here is not about achieving a certain state. It’s about coming back—again and again—to what is already steady beneath the noise.
Try this:
Sit for 7 minutes. Feel the points of contact: feet, hands, seat. Each time the mind wanders, return to the simplest thing—your next inhale.
The practice is not perfection. The practice is return.
4) The Hands-Moving Ritual
Make something. Don’t explain it.
Art in winter is a quiet kind of opening. It gives shape to what can’t be spoken. It moves what feels stuck—without needing a story.
Try this:
Choose one material or color. Work slowly. Let the hands lead. If you judge it, soften and continue.
Expression doesn’t need permission.
5) The Nourishment Ritual
Warmth you can taste.
Cooking together is one of the most grounding winter rituals. The rhythm of chopping and stirring pulls attention back into the body. Conversation becomes softer. Time becomes kind.
Try this:
Cook one simple thing with full attention. Taste as you go. When you sit down to eat, take the first three bites in silence.
The body understands care through repetition.
A Note to Carry Home
Winter doesn’t need to be endured. It can be practiced.
A few small rituals—space, heat, breath, hands, nourishment—can change the entire feeling of a season.
On Muhu, with snow outside and warmth within, these rituals become natural. Almost effortless. Like remembering something you once knew.
If these rituals are calling you, you can check availability and book your winter stay here: Dharma Winter Ritual