There is much cultural diversity witnessed in Indonesia. This fact is evident by the types of food they consume ranging from traditionally cooked food to the modern food. Every destination you visit in Indonesia, especially the top tourist places in Bali, displays the cultural diversity of people in this country. Here are the top 10 must try Indonesian food.
1. Bakso
An Indonesian meatball made from beef surimi and is commonly served with noodles, vegetables, eggs, and tofu, in a bowl of beef broth.
2. Nasi Goreng
It has been considered as Indonesian national food. It is a meal complete with stir fried rice cooked with sweet thick Kecap mixed with vegetables.
3. Nasi Padang
A 100% Indonesian choice, it is curried with fish heads or some rubbery cow’s feet. It taste nice and it can be taken with fresh milk or tea. It is among the most favorite food that the people of Indonesia cannot live without.
4. Gulai
It is a common term that is referred to curry dishes. It is always common in North Sumatra. This food varies from one region to another depending on their cultures and traditions. It depends on the amount of fish and meat that is available in those regions. However, with these variations, it still remains one of the most favorite foods among the people of Indonesia.
5. Bakpao
This delicious snack is a steamed bun filled with ground meat. It used to be commonly filled with pork meat. However, you can now find variety of meat fillings like chicken, beef, and the rest. There is no need to search for them; they are readily available in the market place.
6. Gado-gado
The name literally means “mix-mix” as this dish is a mixture of steamed or slightly boiled vegetables and hard-boiled eggs. Though it is generally called a salad, gado-gado is served with peanut sauce dressing that makes it unique and different from the usual Western-style salad.
7. Rujak Cuka
This salad is famous especially in the city proper, as it is usually given as a complimentary dish in the restaurants. It is made of vegetables and fruits, mixed with vinegar and salt.
8. Ayam Taliwang
It looks similar to regular fried or grilled chicken. However, Ayam Taliwang is meticulously prepared by grilling the chicken cut first to halfway cooked, tenderized, dipped in cooking oil, then added with spicy sauce of shrimp paste, garlic, & chili.
9. Cah Kangkung
It is also referred to as water spinach. They are fried with soya beans sauce, added with garlic to improve its taste. There are various ways of cooking this dish, some people add shrimp and oyster sauce, while some serve it plain.
10. Pepes Ikan
Pepes is an Indonesian cooking technique, where food is wrapped in banana leaves, cooked in boiled water, in steam, or grilled in charcoal. Ikan on the other hand literally means fish. A variety of fish can be used in cooking Pepes Ikan like mackerel, catfish, tilapia, carp, and more.
