Indonesian Food You Must Eat

There is actually more to Indonesian food than Nasi Goreng. Yes, you heard me right. There is so much to Indonesian cuisine that giving you a Top 10 Must Eat is almost impossible, but we shall try.

Here is a list of best Indonesian food 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.

Nasi Goreng – Literally means fried rice, it is actually the usual famous Southeast Asian style of stir-frying cooked rice, but with it’s very own Indonesian spices and mix

Soto Betawi – There are a few 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 variation in itself with a distinct taste.

Rendang – Literally means dry curry, rendang is a really popular 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 basically meat, normally beef but sometimes liver, chicken, goat or other meats, would be cooked in coconut milk and spices until dry resulting in an intense concoction of taste and texture. It is one of the best food in the world, try it to believe it!

Ketoprak – Ketoprak is one of Indonesian traditional food. It is a mix of bean-sprout, deep-fried tofu, onion, eggs with special peanut sauce.

Soto Mie / Soto Mee – Sotomie (or Mee Soto) which is one of the most popular soto for its own right, it is either made of chicken or beef for soup and served with noodles and sliced risoles spring rolls. Of of the best Sotomie in Jakarta can be found at a stall inside Mangga Dua.

Sate / Satay ayam – Sate or Satay Ayam (chicken), are skewered and grilled (BBQ) chicken served with flavourful peanut sauce. It is also known as national dish of Java, Indonesia, making it a strong contender to our Nasi Goreng.

Rawon – Rawon is a black beef soup, made with beef and keluak (black nuts) as the main spice giving it a strong nutty taste and dark in colour, along with other spices and normally served with rice.

Gudeg – A traditional 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 most flavourful food in the world, melding everything from taste to textures.

Bakso – Bakso or Baso in Indonesia, is a meatball made from beef surimi (meat paste, normally beef, with some tapioca flour). It is usually served in a bowl of beef broth with noodles, bihun (rice vermicelli), vegetables, tofu and eggs.

Soto Ayam – This is a chicken soup which is yellow and slightly spicy, normally served with lontong or nasi empit or ketupat (rice cakes) and vermicelli (rice noodles).

Sayur Asem – Sayur Asem or sayur asam (literally sour vegetables) is a tamarind soup made from peanuts, young jackfruit, melinjo, long beans, chayote, corn and meat stock (normally beef) and of course tamarind.

Nasi Kuning – Nasi Kuning (yellow rice) or sometimes known as Nasi Kunyit (turmeric rice) is a famous Indonesian breakfast rice cooked in coconut milk and turmeric. It is usuall serve with some omelette, grated coconut and spices and fried anchovy and kacang (peanuts).

Ayam goreng – Ayam Goreng seem to be as simple as it sounds – fried chicken, but the Indonesian flash their frying skill here at the best with one of most amazing fried chicken you will find in the world, crisp on the outside juicy on the inside.

Gado-gado – Gado-gado (or also known as Lotek) is an Indonesian salad, a combination of boiled vegetables doused generously with peanut sauce dressing. There are other similar dishes like pecel and atah or karedok.

Gado-gado, a vegetarian's favourite in Bali and rest of Indonesia. Fried Tempe on the bottom right
Gado-gado with Fried Tempe on the bottom right.

Types of Kebaya Indonesia

Indonesia has many kinds kebaya from each region, which is like the one below:

1. Kebaya Java
Type kebaya in Indonesia, the first is the Javanese kebaya. Javanese kebaya is characterized by a V-shaped collar with a simple motif, with a thin and transparent fabric patterned with innards in combined-matching with the outside of the fabric. the exact type of Javanese kebaya is already familiar in the eyes of the people of Indonesia.

2. Kebaya Kartini
Kebaya is the formerly used by women for high R.A era Kartini. So, Javanese kebaya is also synonymous with the term kebaya Kartini. Pieces of this type is similar to the kebaya kebaya Encim, which sets it apart is the folds in the chest. Another feature of the Javanese kebaya kebaya is the length that closes the pelvis and collar folds to form a vertical line, which makes the wearer the impression of height and slender.

3. Kebaya Encim
Encim Kebaya is a blend of typical Chinese outfit Shanghai and typical Malay kebaya. Kebaya Encim generally made with materials or cotton organdy. Kebaya that distinguishes this from other types kebaya is, a model with an embroidered collar V along the collar and down.

4. Kebaya Bali
Traditional kebaya traditional Balinese style has many designed to be more modern. Busan Bali Kebaya can be changed into a more kebaya. But the difference of this from the other kebaya kebaya bali which is characterized by the presence of additional Obi or scarf wrapped around the waist, sometimes shawls were also in great Bross as dead. Materials that are often used by kebaya bali this is brocade and cotton.

5. Kebaya New Fleas
Type kebaya in Indonesia latter is kebaya new fleas. Basically this type of new fleas kebaya kebaya-kebaya together with others, but what distinguishes this type kebaya has extra fabric in the middle part that connects the left and right side of the chest and abdomen bgaian. which makes the traditional look.