Indonesian food: discover traditional cuisine

NASI GORENG – iconic Indonesian fried rice cooked with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shallots, garlic, and often served with a fried egg on top.

NASI UDUK – fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk with pandan leaves, served with various side dishes, popular in Jakarta.

NASI KUNING – yellow rice colored with turmeric, traditionally served in a cone shape for celebrations.

BUBUR AYAM – rice congee served with shredded chicken, green onions, fried shallots, soy sauce, and sometimes youtiao (Chinese dough fritters).

NASI CAMPUR – steamed white rice served with various small portions of meat, vegetables, peanuts, eggs, and sambal.

NASI TUMPENG – cone-shaped yellow rice surrounded by various side dishes, traditionally served at ceremonies.

LONTONG – compressed rice cake wrapped in banana leaves, served with various dishes like sayur lodeh or gado-gado.

KETUPAT – diamond-shaped rice cakes wrapped in woven palm leaves, essential during Eid celebrations.

NASI LIWET – rice cooked in coconut milk, chicken broth, and spices, popular in Solo, Central Java.

GADO-GADO – mixed vegetables (cabbage, bean sprouts, green beans) with tofu, tempeh, and peanut sauce dressing.

SAYUR LODEH – mixed vegetables like young jackfruit, chayote, long beans, in a coconut milk broth.

URAP – steamed vegetables mixed with spiced grated coconut, common in Java.

PECEL – steamed vegetables (spinach, bean sprouts, green beans) with spicy peanut sauce dressing, popular in East Java.

SAYUR ASEM – tangy vegetable soup with peanuts, melinjo, chayote, long beans, and tamarind.

PLECING KANGKUNG – water spinach with chili sambal, a specialty of Lombok.

CAP CAI – mixed vegetables stir-fried in light sauce (Chinese-Indonesian influence).

TERONG BALADO – eggplant with spicy chili sauce, popular across Indonesia.

SAMBAL GORENG TEMPE – tempeh cooked in spicy sambal sauce (while tempeh is technically a soy product, it’s a fundamental vegetarian protein in Indonesian cuisine).

SAYUR BENING – clear vegetable soup with spinach, corn, and moringa leaves.

LALAPAN – fresh vegetable platter (cucumber, lettuce, basil leaves) served with sambal.

KAREDOK – raw vegetable salad with peanut sauce dressing, similar to gado-gado but using uncooked vegetables.

RENDANG – slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and spices until dry and dark, originating from Minangkabau.

Sate Ayam – chicken with peanut sauce.

Sate Kambing – goat with sweet soy sauce.

Sate Maranggi – beef with West Javanese spices.

Ayam Goreng Kalasan – Yogyakarta-style Indonesian fried chicken with a unique spice paste.

Ayam Goreng Lengkuas – Indonesian fried chicken with galangal.

Gulai Kambing – goat curry.

Gulai Ayam – chicken curry.

SOP BUNTUT – oxtail soup with carrots and potatoes in clear broth.

BAKSO – Indonesian meatballs (typically beef) served in soup.

BEBEK GORENG – crispy fried duck with Balinese or Javanese spices.

AYAM BETUTU – Balinese spiced chicken, slow-cooked in banana leaves.

SE’I – smoked meat from East Nusa Tenggara, usually beef or pork.

TONGSENG – central Javanese curry-like dish with goat or lamb meat.

OPOR AYAM – chicken braised in coconut milk with Indonesian spices.

Ikan Bakar Jimbaran – Balinese style with sambal.

Ikan bakar dabu dabu – grilled fish with spicy tomato-chili sambal sauce.

Pindang Patin – silver catfish in sour soup.

Pindang Serani – semarang-style spicy fish soup.

ARSIK – North Sumatran spiced carp dish with torch ginger and andaliman pepper.

IKAN ASAM PEDAS – sour and spicy fish stew popular in Sumatra.

UDANG BALADO – shrimp in spicy chili sauce.

KEPITING SAUS PADANG – crab in spicy Padang-style sauce.

PEPES IKAN – fish steamed in banana leaves with herbs and spices.

GULAI KEPALA IKAN – fish head curry, especially popular in Padang cuisine.

IKAN ACAR KUNING – fish in yellow turmeric pickle sauce.

KERANG HIJAU SAUS PADANG – green mussels in spicy Padang sauce.

TELUR BALADO – hard-boiled eggs in spicy red chili sambal sauce.

TELUR DADAR PADANG – thick Padang-style omelet with ground chilies and spices, often several times thicker than regular omelets.

SAMBAL GORENG TELUR – hard-boiled eggs fried and cooked in spicy sambal sauce.

TELOR ASIN – salted duck eggs, often served as a side dish or used in other preparations.

TELUR PINDANG – marbled eggs boiled with spices, tea, and onion skins.

TELUR BUMBU BALI – eggs cooked in Balinese spice paste.

ES CAMPUR – a colorful shaved ice dessert loaded with various toppings like coconut strips, grass jelly, palm fruit, and sweetened condensed milk. It’s incredibly popular as a refreshing street food treat.

KLEPON – small, chewy rice flour balls filled with liquid palm sugar and rolled in grated coconut or sesame seeds.

DADAR GULUNG – a green pancake made with pandan leaves, rolled around a filling of grated coconut cooked with palm sugar. The pandan gives it a distinctive green color and fragrant aroma.

PISANG GORENG – consists of bananas coated in batter and deep-fried until golden. It’s often served with palm sugar syrup or honey and is a beloved snack throughout Indonesia.

KUE LAPIS – a layered steamed cake that comes in various colors, often rainbow-hued. Each layer is steamed separately, creating a beautiful striped effect when sliced.