Indonesia
20 recipes to explore
Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
Indonesia's national dish: day-old rice stir-fried with chicken, a chili-shallot paste and sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), topped with a fried egg and served with cucumber, tomato and crunchy crackers.
Mie Goreng (Fried Noodles)
Egg noodles stir-fried with shrimp, cabbage, carrot and greens in a sweet, salty and slightly spicy sauce of kecap manis, soy and chili. Topped with fried shallots and served with tomato wedges.
Nasi Kuning (Yellow Coconut Rice)
Fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk with turmeric, lemongrass and lime leaves until golden yellow. Served at celebrations with fried chicken, egg, cucumber and fried shallots.
Bubur Ayam (Chicken Rice Porridge)
A soft, savory rice porridge cooked in ginger chicken broth and topped with shredded chicken, soy sauce, fried shallots, spring onions, peanuts and crunchy crackers. Indonesia's favorite breakfast.
Soto Ayam (Turmeric Chicken Soup)
A bright yellow chicken soup flavored with turmeric, ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves, poured over glass noodles, bean sprouts and boiled egg. Finished with lime, fried shallots and sambal.
Bakso (Beef Meatball Soup)
Springy, bouncy beef meatballs in a clear garlic broth with noodles, greens, celery leaves and fried shallots. Add sweet soy sauce, chili sauce and a squeeze of lime at the table.
Beef Rendang
Beef cooked very slowly in coconut milk with a rich paste of chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal and lemongrass until the sauce cooks away and coats the meat in a dark, spicy, caramelized crust.
Sate Ayam (Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce)
Small pieces of chicken marinated in sweet soy sauce and garlic, threaded on skewers and grilled until sticky and charred. Served with a rich, sweet and spicy peanut sauce, sliced shallots and rice.
Gado-Gado (Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce)
A colorful plate of boiled potatoes, green beans, cabbage, bean sprouts, cucumber, fried tofu, tempeh and egg, all covered in a thick, sweet and spicy peanut sauce.
Perkedel (Potato Fritters)
Soft potato patties mixed with fried shallots, spring onion, celery leaves and a little nutmeg, dipped in egg and fried until golden. A favorite side for soto ayam and rice dishes.
Bakwan Jagung (Crispy Corn Fritters)
Sweet corn kernels held together with a light, savory batter of spring onion, garlic, shallot and celery leaves, fried in spoonfuls until crispy and golden. Great with chili sauce.
Pisang Goreng (Crispy Fried Bananas)
Ripe bananas dipped in a light rice flour batter and fried until crispy and golden outside, soft and sweet inside. Eat them warm with a drizzle of palm sugar syrup or honey.
Tempe Goreng (Garlic Coriander Fried Tempeh)
Slices of tempeh soaked in a quick garlic, coriander and turmeric brine, then fried until crunchy and golden. A simple, protein-packed side for rice, vegetables and sambal.
Cap Cay (Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry)
A colorful Chinese-Indonesian stir-fry of broccoli, carrot, cabbage, mushrooms and baby corn with chicken and shrimp in a light, glossy oyster sauce gravy. Serve with steamed rice.
Sayur Lodeh (Vegetables in Coconut Milk)
A gentle, golden vegetable stew of long beans, eggplant, zucchini, cabbage, corn, tofu and tempeh simmered in spiced coconut milk with lemongrass and galangal. Served with rice.
Ayam Goreng (Javanese Spiced Fried Chicken)
Chicken first simmered in a golden paste of turmeric, garlic, shallot, coriander and lemongrass until it soaks up all the flavor, then fried until the skin is crispy. Served with rice, cucumber and sambal.
Cah Kangkung (Stir-Fried Water Spinach)
Crunchy water spinach stir-fried in minutes with garlic, shallot, chili and a splash of oyster sauce. A fast, everyday green side dish to eat with rice.
Martabak Manis (Thick Sweet Pancake)
A thick, fluffy, honeycomb-like pancake cooked in a pan, spread with butter and filled with chocolate sprinkles, crushed peanuts, condensed milk and cheese, then folded in half. Indonesia's favorite night market sweet.
Es Teler (Avocado, Jackfruit and Coconut Ice)
A cold Indonesian dessert drink of creamy avocado, sweet jackfruit and soft young coconut over shaved ice, covered with coconut milk, syrup and condensed milk.
Wedang Jahe (Hot Ginger Drink)
A warming Javanese drink of fresh ginger, lemongrass and pandan simmered with palm sugar. Sweet, spicy and soothing on a cold, rainy evening or when you have a sore throat.