INDONESIAN CUISINE

GUDEG (GUH-DAG)
Gudeg (pictured above) is a dish in Indonesian
cuisine that requires a little bit of patience. This
national favourite is a little sweet, like most of
the food that comes from Central Java, thanks
to the sweet jackfruit that is its main ingredient.
This fruit is boiled in a mixture of coconut milk,
palm sugar and local spices for several hours,
resulting in a really tender dish. This is a great
option for vegetarians, or ask the chef to
include some chicken or fried beef skin for a bit
of extra protein. This dish is also great when
served with rice and a boiled egg.
BABI GULING (BA-BEE GOO-LINK)
Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country, so
pork can be hard to come by. However, this spit-
roast pork dish is a large staple in Bali's cuisine
(Bali is a largely Hindu island). Before roasting, the
pork is soaked in coconut water and rubbed down
with spices like chilli, garlic, turmeric and ginger,
giving this dish a truly unique flavour. It would be
difficult to find babi guling outside of Bali, so enjoy
it while you're there! This dish is often served with
some steamed rice, a meat and veggie salad
called lawar, and even some crispy pig skin and
fried innards.
NASI GORENG (NA-SEE GO-RENG)
Nasi goreng is Indonesia's unique version of
fried rice and also the country's national dish.
You won't find anything quite like it when
visiting other countries in Asia. Nasi goreng is
fairly simple but utterly delicious. The steamed
rice is near drowned in a thick soy sauce
called keycap and is flavoured with chilli,
shrimp paste, onion, garlic and tomato sauce.
Some chefs may also add protein — like
chicken, lamb, pork, eggs or beef — and other
vegetables such as mushrooms, cabbages
and cucumber.
 SATAY (SA-TAY)
Satay consists mostly of skewered meat
cooked over coals. Hot fans are used to
blow away the smoke, giving them a really
unique flavour. Satay skewers can be made
of chicken, goat, mutton or rabbit and are
usually served with tons of spicy peanut
sauce and rice cakes (ketupat). The meat is
typically marinated in different spices before
cooking. You can find this tasty dish pretty
much anywhere in Indonesia
 SIOMAY (SEE-OH-MY)
Siomay is a traditional staple of Indonesia
cuisine, essentially fish dumplings that are
served with steamed potato, cabbage and
eggs. Dip them in some boiled peanut
sauce for a truly authentic flavour. You'll
find a vendor selling siomay on nearly any
Indonesian street corner.
 BAKSO (BA-SO)
Another one of Indonesia's best street
foods, bakso is a savoury meatball soup.
The meatballs are soft and springy, made
from chicken, beef, pork, or even some
combination of the three. You'll normally be
served your bakso with some rice or egg
noodles, boiled eggs (coated in the same
mixture are the meatballs), some chilli and
some fried onions. Some chefs also throw in
tofu! Top it all off with sweet soy sauce for a
delicious favourite.
SOP BUNTUT (SOP BOON-TOOT)
Sop buntut is a delicious oxtail soup. This
Indonesian food is found mostly in
West Java and is made up of fried or barbecued
slices of oxtail in a clear broth. The dish is
generally flavoured with shallots, garlic, pepper,
nutmeg and cloves, but different chefs will spice
it up in their own way. Some yummy vegetables
that can be added to the soup include boiled
potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, celery, leek and
shallots. To really bring out the flavour, drizzle a
bit of lime or lemon on top. 
MARTABAK (MAR-TA-BACH)

Martabak to the rescue! This sweet

Indonesian food is the country's spin on a
pancake, usually filled with anything from
chocolate and nuts to cheese. Think crepe
but thicker. These sweet treats are only
sold in the evening and night
BEEF RENDANG (REN-DANG)
This Indonesian food is much like a beef
curry, but without the broth. It is made
from thick, tender diced beef that is slowly
cooked in a gravy of coconut milk and
spices for several hours. It's not
something you'll find just anywhere, as it
takes patience and skill to make a good
beef rendang. It is primarily eaten in the
Padang region of West Sumatra and is
usually served with rice. 
 PEMPEK (PEM-PECK)
The dish pempek supposedly gets its
name from a Chinese man who first
served the meal in Palembang, South
Sumatra. Pempek is a fish and tapioca
cake, available in a range of flavours,
shapes and sizes. The most popular
variation is called kapal selam, which
translates to submarine, and includes
an egg in the middle. Sprinkle your
pempek with some shrimp powder and
dip it in some cuka (a dark sauce made
of vinegar, chilli and sugar) for the
ultimate taste of Indonesian cuisine. 
 KERAK TELOR (KUH-
RACK TUH-LOR)
Kerak telor is a dish that belongs to the
Betawi culture, an ethnic group native to
Jakarta and the surrounding area. As
such, you won't often find it outside the
popular areas of Jakarta (like the Old
Town and MONAS). This traditional meal
is a delicious rice frittata cooked over
charcoal. Made primarily of sticky rice
and egg, the omelette-shaped dish is
usually topped with some fried shallots
and shredded coconut. You can ask for
your kerak telor to be cooked with either
a chicken's egg or a duck's egg.