Indonesia is an incredible place to discover new foods, this vast archipelago has been influenced by a wide variety of different cultures throughout the years thanks to its various years of colonization and the result is a blend of food choices which are widely considered as the best in Asia. If you are fortunate enough to make a trip to the Indonesian islands then here are some of the finest foods which I recommend that you try during your time there.
Satay
You will do well to find anywhere in Indonesia that doesn’t sell these beautiful meat skewers, you will find them in restaurants and in the streets. The meat which is used is usually lamb although you can find pork varieties. The meat is seasoned with light spices and then cooked over coals until it is ready. The satay is usually served with lashings of tasty peanut sauce and accompanied with rice cakes.
Nasi Rawon
This delicious beef stew from the East Java region is just about as hearty as it gets and it will leave you with the strange of feeling of being incredibly full, but still wanting more. The stew is made with beed which has been slow cooked using a variety of different herbs which are added during the cooking process. Thanks to the addition of the keluak nut, the stew is deep black in color and incredibly fresh and fragrant in taste and smell. Grab a bowl of this with some freshly cooked rice and you will be set up for the day.
Siomay
This dish is the Indonesian variety of a dim sum and can be found in any street food market across the country. This beautiful dish contains steamed fish dumplings which are served with steamed eggs, cabbage and potato before the final addition of a tasty peanut sauce. You will often see this dish served from local vendors who sell siomay directly from the back of their bicycle, now that is true street food!
Nasi Uduk
One of Indonesia’s many national dishes, Nasi Uduk is an aromatic serving of rice cooked in coconut milk and which is served up with crispy fried chicken, a shredded omelette, some onion and tempe, you will also find some nut crackers around the outside as well as some fresh anchovies in a meal which I would consider Indonesian tapas on a plate. If you are looking for a lunchtime meal which packs in flavor, freshness and variety then this is the one you should be going after.
Sweet Martabak
I often feel that Asian foods in general are often overlooked for their tasty deserts and this is a prime example of how well they can do them in Indonesia. Sweet martabak is a thick pancake mixture which is served up in a sweet sandwich, only sold on evenings, you can pack your martabak with any mixture of chocolate, peanuts or sweet cheese and it is a perfect compliment to any main meal.
So there you have it, my favorite Indonesian dishes which you must try, let me know if you think I’ve missed any out!