Unlike the rest of Indonesia, Bali is predominantly Hindu which is why pork is a common ingredient on the island. Aside from it’s natural beauty, I think this is one of the reasons why Bali is such a popular tourist destination – fewer restrictions on food and drink. Hi Mark , since u mention that u like manadonese food (especially Woku), then why wouldn’t u come to Manado instead? I know the same could be mentioned about Padang , however there are three main reasons why: Sate Padang is such a unique (and delicious) type of Indonesian sate that I had to include it in this food guide as its own. Originally from Padang, a food lovers province on the west coast of Sumatra, Sate Padang seems to have a cult following among food lovers – and after I had my first plate, I completely understand why. The best way to store terasi is wrapped in parchment paper and covered in two layers of foil, then kept inside an airtight container. Turmeric Fish sauce is a condiment that is made from fermented and salted fish. Used in Indonesian cuisine as a seasoning, it imparts a salty, umami flavour to savoury dishes that is often balanced by sugar. Rice Flour

The grated flesh of a coconut comes from the mature coconut, firm enough to be grated or for the chunks of flesh to be thrown into a food processor. It is this grated flesh that fresh coconut milk comes from, known as santen.

Nasi/Mie Goreng Jawa ( Javanese Fried Rice/noodle ) – Nasi Goreng Jawa Pasar Genteng Jalan Pasar Genteng open 6PM – 12PM daily. Nasi means rice in Bahasa and Goreng means fried. The staple ingredients of nasi goreng are onion, chilli and garlic fried together in oil with the addition of pre-cooked white rice and served with sweet soy sauce.

Again, famously known in Indonesia as a Makassar dish from southern Sulawesi, sop konro are beef ribs which are simmered in a variety of fragrant spices includes coriander, galangal, lemongrass, cinnamon, nutmeg, and bay leaves. When you eat sop konro, the meat will literally just slide off the rib bones. On a spur of the moment decision, my wife and I decided to eat at a restaurant in Jakarta that served Batak food, from the Lake Toba region of Sumatra. One of the traditional Batak dishes, is something called babi pangang (sometimes babi panggang), which is a type of grilled or roasted pork. You’re also given chapters on Chinese cooking techniques and food etiquette and customs to broaden your knowledge in that area. They also offer a vegetarian version of this book! for the exemple, I came from Medan North of Sumatera and lives here, that was famous food just like Risol, Tahu Isi, Sop Sipirok (oh man this is my favorite food a hole my life), Soto Medan (this is the originally food from Medan North of Sumatera that no one city in Indonesia can copy that taste, you should try this, its recomended man !! :), Burung Goreng Siantar, Mie Aceh (this is recipe from Aceh originally recipe, but in Medan you find easly to find it…its spicy noodle), Nasi Padang Sidempuan, and many more that you can find it in Medan North of Sumatera….Kecap manis is another condiment I’ve mentioned quite often in this Indonesian food guide. It refers to a sweetened aromatic soy sauce often used in Indonesian cuisine, either as a cooking ingredient or as a dipping sauce. Nasi campur refers to a type of rice meal enjoyed throughout Indonesia. You may find them called by different names depending on the region but they’re basically meals served with steamed white rice and a variety of different meat, seafood, and vegetable side dishes. Indomie Abang Adek, Instant Noodle (Indomie) served with super extra hot chili, located at West Jakarta, it’s very famous Bear in mind that I’m not covering all of the wonderful and diverse cuisines in Asia, this is a list of my personal favourites which I’ve learned a lot from recently or over the years.

When buying soy sauce, it is important to distinguish light from dark as the two have very different uses: dark soy sauce is aged for longer with molasses and is used as a marinade or dipping sauce, whereas light soy sauce is saltier, thinner and used as a light seasoning. Third, It’s a christian majority region meaning it has variety of pork dishes such as Pork Woku, Pork Rica, Pork Skewer and Manadonese Roasting Pork , and more… and it even has some extreme dishes ( u may or may not try it if u wish) such as boar, dog meat, phyton, bat, etc ( the boar might be not too extreme). Martabak refers to a family of stuffed pancakes or pan-fried breads commonly found in the Arabian Peninsula and in some parts of Southeast Asia. It’s believed to have originated from Yemen and has become a popular street food dish in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The complete introduction to the schools of Chinese cooking and how history has greatly impacted Chinese cuisine leaves you fascinated and want to learn more.

When I published my Singapore food guide, I received a few comments from Indonesians saying, “you have to come to Indonesia to try our fish head curry.” And so there was no way I was going to miss out on Indonesian fish head curry. The following list of 18 dishes is far from a comprehensive list of the best Indonesian foods, but here are 18 fantastic options you should definitely try when travelling in the region! As described at the top of this article, Indonesian food is incredibly diverse. The world’s largest archipelago has around 6,000 inhabited islands and almost as many traditional recipes so this list of 30 barely scratches the surface. When I was in Jakarta, one day I went to one of the most well known spots in the city for ketoprak, a small little shop in the neighborhood, that stays busy from the moment they open – and they often have a long line around mealtimes. After making a batch of their special peanut sauce, they fried some tofu, chopped it on a plate with some bean sprouts, doused it in the peanut sauce, and finished it with a fried egg.

One of the most popular types of sop is sop buntut. It’s a delicious and hearty oxtail soup in a clear beef broth made with a host of ingredients like carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, celery, leeks, and fried shallots. 8. Rujak Feasts are sensory experiences, with varying textures and crunch and a melody of sweet, sour, bitterness, heat and piquancy. Along with ikan bakar (Indonesian grilled fish), ikan goreng or deep fried fish, is another common way to prepare different types of fish and seafood. There are probably hundreds of different types of fish that can be used to make ikan goreng, but one fried fish delicacy of Sundanese cuisine is fried freshwater gourami. The fish are sometimes cut in a way that exposes more of the skin to the oil, and then deep fried so the skin and outer layers of the fish are completely crispy. If you are sitting down for a meal with other people (depending on the occasion), there are a few practices to observe. For example, if the dishes are presented on the table, you shouldn’t reach over and bring the entire plate towards you. Instead, you should use the serving spoon to place food on your plate or ask someone else to pass it to you.

Simple, Spicy, Superb Cuisine

Sofiah Budiastuti, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Processed in Photoshop and Lightroom 9. Bakso