Indonesia is a conglomeration of more than 17,000 islands with a cuisine that borrows from the Indians, Chinese and the Dutch.
A majority of Indonesians are Muslims with a cuisine that is similar to its neighbour Malaysia but with a few twists.
Indonesia, with 234 million people, is the fourth most populous country in the world. Once ruled by India, it was a place of Hindu and Buddhist worship. Soon, the Dutch arrived and ruled for more than 300 years. Indonesia achieved its independence in 1949.
The country is a myriad of ethnicities and cultures, there are an estimated 580 languages and dialects, with a national slogan of Bhinneka tunggal ika ("Unity in Diversity").
The Chinese have contributed stir-fries, while the Indians have donated their love of spices and the Dutch colonialists their adoration of potatoes and peanuts. Also think of satay, sweet and sour dishes, lamb curries and liberal helpings of cilantro, cumin and lemongrass.
Other introductory articles to peruse: Indo-Chinese Cuisine, Tasty Taiwanese Food, Cambodian Cuisine, Laotian Food, Thai Cuisine, Ayurvedic Eating and the food of Sri Lanka.
Indonesian Ingredients:
- Kecap: Derived from "ketchup" but really a vinegar-based soy sauce with tomatoes added.
- Kecap Manis: A mixture of soy sauce and brown sugar.
- Asam: The sour tamarind used in many dishes.
- Cuka: A clear vinegar.
- Adas: Fennel leaves.
- Tauco: Black or yellow salted beans, often used with soy sauce.
- Terasi: Shrimp paste.
Indonesian Dishes:
- Rijstaffel: Means "rice table" in Dutch. A buffet with 10 to 20 dishes - with rice as the main plate – representing a variety of flavours and spanning cold to hot and sweet to spicy. Accompaniments include fried shrimp crackers, satay and sambal.
- Sambal: Similar to many used in SE Asia, a super-hot relish of chilies and garlic that accompanies dishes or, it can refer to a very spicy curry.
- Rendang: Beef (or in this case, buffalo) slow-cooked with coconut milk and many spices such as lemongrass, turmeric leaf and ginger until its dry.
- Nasi Goreng: Fried rice with meat, cucumbers, eggs, tomatoes and seasoned with shrimp paste and chilies. A daily dish for many Indonesians.
- Otak Otak: Fish cake (a white fish blended with chilies, shallots and lemongrass) wrapped in banana leaf and grilled.
- Cap Cai: Really Chinese Chop Suey.
- Cumi-Cumi Isi: Squid stuffed with a white fish that has been mixed with garlic and peppers.
- Kari Kambing Aceh: Hot lamb curry.
- Kroket Daging: A type of croquette comprised of chopped beef, potatoes and deep-fried.
- Mee Goreng: Fried noodles with meat, tomatoes, eggs, cucumber and shrimp paste.
- Pais Udang: Shrimp flavoured with a paste of ginger, galangal root, chilies, basil and lime, wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled.
- Soto Ayam Kudus: Shredded chicken soup with vermicelli noodles and swimming with hard-boiled eggs, celery leaves and fried shallots.
