The Taste of Indonesia

Meat

Nasi kucing is a traditional Indonesia dish that originated in Surakarta, Yogykarts, and Semarang in Central Java. The dish includes rice topped with tempeh, dried fish, and sambal and can also have chicken, eggs, and cucumber. The ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves.

Soto medan mixes chicken or beef in a creamy broth with coconut milk and flavorings like galangal, turmeric, ginger, and coriander. The meat is cooked and shredded before it is added to the broth. The dish comes with condiments like boiled eggs, fish cakes, prawn crackers, potato fritters, or fried shallots. This dish originated in the city of Medan in North Sumatra where it is the signature dish.

Lemper is a savory snack that is prepared by stuffing glutinous rice with seasoned shredded chicken, abon (meat floss), or fish. Then rolled into a banana leaf. The version with chicken is called lemper ayam and semar meridem is a version with shredded chicken and glutinous rice wrapped in a thin omelet.

Tongseng is an authentic Indonesian meat stew. It is made with goat meat, cooked with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shredded cabbage, tomatoes, and coconut milk. This is a Javanese dish that can also be made with beef, mutton, or chicken.

Babi guling is dish prepared with roast suckling pig. Before roasting turmeric is rubbed into the pig’s skin and it is stuffed with a bada gede spice mixture which includes turmeric, coriander, lemongrass, shallots, galangal, chili, shrimp paste, and garlic. The pig is put on a spit and roasted over an open fire. This Balanese delicacy is prepared for special occasions.

Perkedel are fried patties that are prepared with ground meat, ground corn, minced fish, or mashed potatoes. They ingredients are combined with finely chopped scallions and pepper, then formed into patties and dipped in beaten eggs. They are fried until golden brown.

Solo Lamongan originated in Lamongan, East Java. It is made with chicken pieces slowly simmered in broth with a spicy paste consisting of lemongrass, coriander, caraway seeds, galangal, garlic, turmeric, and ginger. When ready the chicken is shredded and served with noodles, cabbage, scallions, boiled eggs, prawn crackers and other garnishes.

Sate lilit is a popular street food on Bali. It is made with minced meat wrapped around a flat skewer. The most common is prepared with pork. The meat is spiced with lemongrass, galangal, chili, and lime leaves.

Nasi liwet is a traditional rice dish that originated in Solo, Central Java. Rice is cooked in coconut milk with chicken broth and seasonings like bay leaves, and lemongrass. The rice it topped with shredded chicken, omelet, anchovies, chili peppers, and different vegetables.

Mie aceah is a spice noodle dish. It is made with thick yellow noodles, beef, lamb, or seafood and vegetables like spring onions, garlic, bean sprouts, cabbage, and tomatoes. The dish is spiced with chili peppers, shallots, garlic, cardamom, and cumin. It is served topped with fried shallots, cucumber, and crackers.

Bakso solo is a dish originating from Solo, Central Java. The dish consists of beef meatballs in beef broth. It is accompanied by yellow or vermicelli noodles and garnished with fried onions, greens, or fried wontons. Served in a bowl it is accompanied by fresh chili sauce and lime wedges.

Opor ayam is chicken curry made with coconut milk and spices like lemongrass, tamarind, cinnamon, galangal, palm sugar, coriander, garlic, and shallots. The dish includes bone-in chicken pieces like thighs or drumsticks.

Ayam penyet is a dish made with fried chicken coated in sambal, a popular chili paste. The chicken is fried and coated with the sambal. It is accompanied by fresh vegetables, tempeh, tofu, and rice.

Babek goring is an Indonesian delicacy prepared with fried duck. The duck is cut into pieces and boiled or steamed then deep-fried until crisp. Before frying the duck pieces are coated with garlic, ginger, turmeric, galangal, or coriander. The dish is accompanied by rice, fresh vegetables like cabbage or cucumber, and spicy sambal on the side.

Seafood

Pecel lele is a delicacy originating in Java. The dish is made with deep-fried catfish along with sambal paste and vegetables like cucumbers, string beans, lettuce, and cabbage. Steamed rice, tofu, and tempeh are served on the side.

Chilok is a specialty from West Java. These are chewy balls that are made with a bse of tapioca and ingredients like dried shrimp, garlic, scallions, or chives. The chilok balls can be boiled or fried and are served with sweet peanut sauce or spicy sauces like ketchup.

Botok is a Javanese dish that is a mix of vegetables, dried fish, chili, and coconut. The ingredients are combined and steamed in banana leaves. It is served with steamed rice on the side.

Ikan bakar is a popular dish in both Indonesia and Malaysia. The dish is made with barbecued fish. Usually the seafood includes squids, cockles, and clams. Before grilling the fish is marinated in chili paste, soy sauce, turmeric, galangal, and other spices.

Batagor is a snack that consists of fried fish dumplings served in a spicy sauce. The fish used is wahoo, but tuna, mackerel, and prawns can also be used. Potatoes, tofu, or cabbage can be added. After frying the dumplings are cut into bite-sized pieces and covered with peanut, soy, and chili sauce with a splash of lime juice.

Sweets

Kolak has a sweet base made with coconut milk and sugar and flavored with pandan leaves. There are variations of the main ingredient and can include plantains, sweet potatoes, cassava, pumpkin, jackfruit, or tapioca. It is a refreshing dessert that can be served warm or chilled. It is a staple of the month of Ramadan.

Kue lapis or kuih lapis is a traditional Indonesian dessert popular in Malaysia, Suriname, Brunei, and Singapore. The dessert is prepared with a moist-layered pudding-like cake made with rice flour, sago, sugar, salt, coconut milk, and red, green, or pink food coloring.

Kue putu is a steamed cake made with glutinous rice flour and flavored and colored with pandan leaves. The mixture is steamed in bamboo tubes and the center of the cake is filled with palm sugar. It is dusted with freshly grated coconut.

Dadar gulung is a traditional dessert that is consists of a thin rice crepe filled with grated coconut. The pancake batter is infused with pandan leaves for flavored and a vibrant green color. When baked, the crepes are filled with a combination of freshly grated coconut, cinnamon, and dark palm sugar.