When you go to a country with very diverse cultures like Indonesia, what’s better than tasting the local delicacies? These cultures certainly have their own cuisines and indeed, Indonesian food is awesome in terms of diversity. On top of that, some foods in this country are widely known as the most delicious food on the planet!
Rendang: Most delicious food voted number one by CNN
A survey made by an American news agency, CNN, in September 2011 on 35,000 people randomly chosen all over the world, has rendered rendang as the number one most delicious food in the world! Originated from Padang, West Sumatra, this spicy meat dish can be found in any food stall labeled Warung (a small dining place with casual service and minimum facilities) Padang across Indonesia.
What is rendang and why is it the number one recommended food by CNN? Rendang is beef (sometimes they also use lamb) simmered for hours in gravy until tender. The main ingredient for the gravy is coconut milk combined with spicy paste of chili flesh (the seeds are taken out), coconut milk, ground ginger, galangal, turmeric leaves, lemongrass, garlic and shallot; making it spicy, salty and gurih (a local term of saying MSG or herb enhanced flavor). Since it is cooked for a long time, the meat becomes tenderized and absorbs the gravy, making every bite tasty. Cooking rendang is indeed time-consuming, as it takes hours till the gravy becomes slightly caramelized.
Satay: Aromatic and tempting
Satay, or sate in Indonesian term, is the grilled skewered meat served with tasty peanut sauce. You may also call it the Indonesian version of barbecued meat. Satay is a popular food in Indonesia and you can find satay almost everywhere in the country. Satay’s main ingredient is sliced meat, either mutton or chicken, marinated in spices made of ground turmeric, ginger, garlic, cumin and soy sauce. The sliced meats are then skewered on bamboo sticks, and grilled. This is when the magic begins. The juicy look on the meat is indeed very tempting but nothing can beat the aromatic smell of satay on the grill. You will see the cook fan the satay to keep the flame burning on the charcoal grill (This grill uses charcoal as its fuel), causing the delightful smell to spread all over the place. For the best satay-eating experience, you are recommended to eat satay in a warung and not in a big restaurant. Doing so shall allow you to fully enjoy the cooking aroma, as opposed to those being grilled inside the kitchen of a big restaurant. Satay in sold everywhere in the country, but if you happen to be in East Java, you need to go to a popular spot named Tretes where you can find the best satay in the warungs.
Pempek: Delicious fishcake from South Sumatera
From rendang in West Sumatra, we proceed to South Sumatra with its famed fishcake, Pempek. Although people never eat it with rice, eating pempek is filling as it is made of dough containing fish and tapioca flour, which comes in several variations with various shapes and names. The most popular one is Pempek Kapal Selam, literally translated to Submarine Fishcake, as it is served dipped in dark sauce called cuko (dark sweetened vinegar). The process of creating Pempek Kapal Selam requires the chef to fill the fish dough with a boiled egg, followed by boiling the stuffed dough to make it firm before deep frying it. The cuko is made of ground garlic, onion, vinegar, chili and sugar, making the sauce sweet and sour.
Soto: Indonesians’ favorite soup
If rendang is CNN’s voted world’s best food, soto is likely the favorite food of Indonesians. Soto refers to either chicken or beef soup with kunir (yellowish herb) and meat. People always eat it with white rice (it’s never eaten without rice). This type of food is so popular among Indonesians that you can almost find it anywhere across Indonesia. However, depending on the location, soto has different variations. ln Jakarta, you’ll find Soto Betawi where they use a lot of jeroan (the innards such as liver, stomach and heart) and coconut milk with tomato added in the food. In East Java, they have Soto Madura where the herb flavor is strong and in Central Java you can find Soto Kudus where the soup is light. Which soto do you like? Well, you’ll never know which is your favorite until you taste all of them.
Bakso: President Obama’s favorite meatballs
Bakso is simply the Indonesian version of meatballs. This has become a favorite food for many people, including the United States President, Mr. Barack Obama. During his visit to Jakarta a few years ago, he mentioned in an interview that he wanted to eat bakso, as it used to be his favorite childhood food when he was staying in Indonesia. Although it can also be made from pork or chicken meat, bakso is usually made from beef. The beef is grounded and mixed with a little tapioca flour, shaped into balls and then boiled in steaming water. Bakso is best served with hot and steamy soup filled with yellow noodles, bihun (rice vermicelli), tofu, Chinese green cabbage and bean sprout with sprinkles of fried shallots and celery. If a president as famous as President Obama likes it, then it must be really good and you should try it!
Unbelievable costs at 1 USD per portion
Again, it is best to eat Indonesian food in a food stall or warung, as it usually specializes in selling a particular type of food (i.e. satay warung only sells satay and a soto stall only sells soto), which makes quality food as it is cooked by an expert.
Another reason for dining at a warung or a food stall is the price. Despite its modest facility (no air-conditioner, comfy chairs, etc.), it is way cheaper than dining in big restaurants. On average, a portion of Indonesian food costs about 1 USD! Sounds too good to be true? Why not come to Indonesia and try these wonderful food?
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