July 2024
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| Sambal |
Food in Indonesia is tremendously varied due to its geographic and cultural diversity and in the influence of countries like China, India, Europe and other Asian countries. Each region has its own distinct cuisine.
The staple food is rice (Nasi) though sweet potato, Tapioca, corn and Sago are also used. Most popular accompaniment is Fish seasoned with Tamarind, tumeric, salt or simmered in coconut milk. Vegetables include Water Spinach, beans and the Dutch brought in carrots, cauliflower, cabbage and tomatoes. Greatest influence has been the Chinese with noodles (Mie), soya source in which Indonesians add sugar (Kecap Manis), tofu and soyabeans.
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| Rendang |
Most meals start with a bowl of rice, a side dish, condiments like chilly sambal, krupuk (wafers made from tapioca, fish, shrimp and deep fried) and fried coconut or peanuts.
The five national dishes declared by the government are Soto (Traditional soups), Rendang (spicy meat with coconut milk), Sate (grilled skewered meat), Nasi Gorang (Fried Rice) and Gado Gado (salad with vegetables, tofu, fresh vegetables with rich creamy peanut sauce).
Other Popular Foods
Apart from these, other popular street foods are Bakso (beef meatballs) and Siomay (steamed fish dumpling). Both have Chinese origins. Other Chinese influences are Bakmi (wheat based noodles) and Bihun (Rice based noodles). Gudek is a jackfruit dish boiled with palm sugar and coconut milk and is popular in Yogyakarta. Other country influences - Martabak is an Indian Muslim dish (curried meat filling in a wrap). Nasi Kebuli is a type of Pulaf.
Ingredients and Preparations
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| Gudek Shop in Yogyakarta |
Preparations can be Gorang (Fried), Kuning (Turmeric), Sam (sour), Lilith (wrapped around like in a Sate), Bakar (grilled) Pepes (using banana leaves to wrap)
Dishes can be Chicken (Ayam), duck (Bebek), Fish (Ikan), Shrimp (Udang), Sapi (Beef)
Vegetables (Sayur) are Petai (stink bean), Jengkol (dog fruit beans), Kankung (water spinach)
Coffee drinking
Unlike India, where the British taught the entire country to drink tea or Vietnam where coffee drinking culture is quite widespread, Indonesia doesn't have a strong local coffee drinking culture other than the big cities. The coffee is mainly Kopi Tubruk (brought from the middle East) which is without filtration and with added sugar. The pleasure of stopping by at small shops in Vietnam having freshly brewed coffee was something I missed in Indonesia. The coffee that people made were from instant coffee pre-sweetened packets.
