Indonesian Food - Getting to Know Delicious Indonesian Dishes

I can say that Indonesia is 'heaven for foodwere adapted to the Indonesian tastes until they
lovers'. You can find any kind of food from localbecame ones of Indonesia famous specialities.
to international dishes. But when you are travellingOtherwise Nasi Goreng and Bakmi Goreng can be
to Indonesia, don't waste your money to tastefound almost in every restaurant across the
anything except the local food. Eating Indonesiancountry.
food can be an interesting experience. TheIn Yogjakarta, Central of Java, the typical dishes
diversity of the country will bring you to tasteare Nasi Gudeg , made of young jack-fruit and
variety of foods. Each of Indonesia's ethnic groupsboiled eggs stewed in coconut milk with a mixture
uses the country's entire rich array of the spices,of spices, so the taste is sweet; Ayam Goreng
but each has its own combinations and tastes:Kalasan - local organic free-range chicken, stewed
spicy, sweet, hot and sour.in spices (coriander, garlic candlenut and coconut
Padang cuisine (or Indonesian calls it Masakanwater) then fried, served with sambal and raw
Padang) is probably the most popular across thevegetables salad.
country. Padang or Minangkabau is the capital cityWhen you travel to East Java, toward Surabaya,
of West Sumatra. Their local specialities are veryyou will find another traditional type of food. Sate
delicious and you can find their restaurants inMadura , a chicken satay from Madura (an island
every region in Indonesia. Padang/Minangin East Java) is one among others that is really
restaurants are easily recognizable by the neatlypopular. In fact it's one of the most popular dishes
stacked food basins in their windows. Whatacross Asia. Then there are also Soto Ayam
makes them unique is how they serve the food.Madura - a chicken soup, Rawon - a delicious beef
When you come to the restaurant (especially thesoup that has black colour because it's made from
big ones), the waiter will come to you with arrayKluwak (Pangium edule) nuts, Rujak Cingur - a
of dishes all deftly balanced on his left arm and willmixture of raw and boiled vegetable salad served
place the food on the table in a kind of Asianwith boiled beef snout (cingur) and poured with
buffet. Then you can choose which food yousauce made from peanuts, chilli and dried shrimp
would like to eat ... they will bring you differentpaste ( petis udang ), Lontong Balap - a healthy
kind of dishes, from stewed meats, fish, eggs,vegetarian dish containing compressed rice (
chicken and curry.lontong ), fried tofu, lentho made of red soy
The famous-mouth-watering speciality frombean, bean sprouts, and sweet soy sauce and
Padang is Rendang Sapi , a spice-encrusted dryTahu Campur - a beef soup mixed with fresh
beef dish cooked for a long time in coconut milk.vegetables, cassava cake, tofu and serve a
But they have some other delicious meals such asmixture of dried shrimp paste ( petis udang ), chilli
Dendeng Balado - it's a beef served with a hotand garlic.
chilli sauce and Gulai Daun Pakis - its fern tipsBali as the most visited tourist place in Indonesia is
cooked with coconut milk or red snapper curries.filled with five stars hotels and villas all around the
But be aware, some of Padang dishes are veryarea, but that doesn't mean it has only
spicy. To cook 300 grams of chillies to 1 kg ofinternational food atmosphere. There are two
meat is not unusual. If you are a spicy food lover,Balinese specialities, Babi Guling and Bebek Betutu.
it's definitely for you. Otherwise you don't need toBabi Guling is a grilled suckling pig with crispy skin.
worry, they usually serve chilli sauce, or asMost Indonesians don't eat pork, especially
Indonesian calls it the 'sambal', separately and usedMoslems. But here, pork is eaten because most
as condiments or dips.of Balinese are Hindus, and they don't eat beef.
Manado, northern Sulawesi is a largely agriculturalBebek Betutu is a duck delicacy, where the fowl
island where coffee, coconut, nutmeg and clovesis marinated with many different herbs and
are the big money-earners. Other Indonesiansspices, wrapped in banana leaves and then baked
think that Minahasan food has to be plasteredover a low flame. You can also try Balinese type
with chilli paste to taste good. Their speciality likeof satay or they call it Sate Lilit , made from fish
Ayam Bakar Rica (grilled chicken) is usually veryminced meat with freshly grated coconut, prawn
spicy. Other popular traditional dish is Buburpaste, garlic, chillies, lemon leaves and salt to
Manado - rice porridge with different kind ofcompose a sticky, dough-like mixture then
condiments and side dishes such as shreddedwrapped around using spears of fresh lemongrass
chicken, sweet soy sauce, dried anchovies, andas skewers, and cook them over fire coming
fried shallots and of course chopped chillies.from coconut husks rather than charcoal. It is
If you like less spicy food, some regions on Javaserved with either mild or peppery sauce.
have it. For example Jakarta's food tastes sweetTravelling around Indonesia can prove to be a real
because every dish seems to include palm sugarchallenge for your cuisine curiosity. The country is
and sweet soy sauce ( kecap manis ). Semur -not just offering the beauty, but also will spoil
Dutch inspired smothered beef withyour craving for delicious food. If you want to
Chinese-Indonesian sweet soy sauce, nutmeg andtaste something different, then Indonesia is the
cloves - is one of their specialities. Other specialityright place. As the nation with more than 17.000
like fried rice ( Nasi Goreng ) and fried noodle (islands, Indonesia is a heaven of good food that
Bakmi Goreng ) originated from China but thenwill awake all of your senses.