There is actually more to Indonesian cuisine than Nasi Goreng. Yes, you heard me right. There is so much to Indonesian food that giving you a Top 10 Must Eat is almost impossible, but we shall try.This article will provide you top 10 local foods that you must eat when you are here, though by no means complete, but we will try our best to keep it open and up for debate.
1. Nasi Goreng
Image credit:balikpapanpancake.blogspot.my
Literally, means fried rice, it is actually the usual popular Southeast Asian style of stir-frying cooked rice, but with its very own Indonesian spices and mix.
2. Soto Betawi
Image credit:nonihalimi25.blogspot.my
There are several Soto here in Indonesia that you must try, first is the Soto Betawi, which the soup is made of beef or beef offal with cow milk, it is a unique form in itself with a distinct taste.
3. Rendang
Image credit:phinemo.com
Literally, means dry curry, rendang is a really famous dish in Indonesia that is actually a dry beef stew. It is originated from Minangkabau (or also known as Padang) in West Sumatra. That is why it is either called Rendang Padang or Rendang Minangkabau. Rendang is normally meat or beef but sometimes liver, chicken, goat or other meats, would be cooked in coconut milk and spices until dry resulting in an great concoction of taste and texture. It is one of the top food in the world, try it to believe it.
4. Soto Mie / Soto Mee
Image credit:www.straitstimes.com
Sotomie (or Mee Soto) which is one of the most famous soto for its own right, it is either made of chicken or beef for soup and served with noodles and sliced risoles spring rolls. One of the top Sotomie in Jakarta can be found at a stall inside Mangga Dua.
5. Sate Ayam
Image credit:makanlagilagimakan.wordpress.com
Sate Ayam (chicken), is skewered and grilled (BBQ) chicken served with saporous peanut sauce. It is also familiar as the national dish of Java, Indonesia, making it a strong contender to our Nasi Goreng.
6. Rawon
Image credit:www.jitunews.com
Rawon is a black beef soup, made with beef and keluak (black nuts) as the primary spice giving it a strong nutty taste and dark in colour, along with other spices and usually served with rice.
7. Gudeg
Image credit:www.tourbalijava.com
A classic food hail from Yogyakarta in Central Java, gudeg is a stew made from young jack fruit (nangka) with palm sugar, coconut milk, meat, garlic, and lots of spices. It is one of the top flavourful food in the world, melding everything from taste to textures.
8. Bakso
Image credit:www.ragamkuliner.com
Bakso or Baso in Indonesia, is a meatball made from beef surimi (meat paste, usually beef, with some tapioca flour). It is normally served in a bowl of beef broth with noodles, bihun (rice vermicelli), vegetables, tofu, and eggs.
9. Nasi Kuning
Image credit:kreasiresepmasak.blogspot.my
Nasi Kuning (yellow rice) or sometimes fimiliar as Nasi Kunyit (turmeric rice) is a popular Indonesian breakfast rice cooked in coconut milk and turmeric. It is normally served with some omelette, grated coconut and spices and fried anchovy and kacang (peanuts).
10. Gado-gado
Image credit:www.tripadvisor.com.au
Gado-gado (or also popular as Lotek) is an Indonesian salad, a combination of boiled vegetables doused generously with peanut sauce dressing. There are other fimiliar dishes like pecel and atah or karedok.
