Food & Drink Did you ever try Indonesian cuisine? The most criminally underrated cuisine

PulsingJones

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Also known as Javanese cuisine... The taste profile is really unique but at the same time not gross/exotic. Peanut sauces (Satay), coconut milk, sambal chili pastes, shrimp pastes, etc... It's sweet, savory, and very spicy.

Some dishes:

"Satay" Meat Skewers, dripping with Peanut Sauce

Sate_Ponorogo.jpg


Nasi Goreng... By far the best fried rice out there, especially due to the sweet soy sauce they use called Kecap Manis.

sata.jpg
 
Also known as Javanese cuisine... The taste profile is really unique but at the same time not gross/exotic. Peanut sauces (Satay), coconut milk, sambal chili pastes, shrimp pastes, etc... It's sweet, savory, and very spicy.

Some dishes:

"Satay" Meat Skewers, dripping with Peanut Sauce

View attachment 1070983


Nasi Goreng... By far the best fried rice out there, especially due to the sweet soy sauce they use called Kecap Manis.

View attachment 1070984
If Indonesians predominantly use chopsticks, it would've been what Thai cuisine was 15-20 years ago. Westerners add +12 to exoticism if a cuisine is eaten with chopsticks and hypes the shit out of it(Korean cuisine) . Look into it.


<28>
 
I do be likin' satay in peanut sauce.

That's the only Indonesian thing I've ever eaten.
 
Never had Indonesian food before because I have never lived close to an Indonesian restaurant. I have had the Thai version of peanut satay chicken skewers and it was good. I like Thai food and Indian food, so Indonesian food would probably be good.
 
1731416133627.png

Ayam Penyet is probably more acceptable for you Westerners.
Ayam means Chicken
Penyet means smashed/pressed

It's basically fried chicken that is smashed. The chilli however is the key for the dish. It can be extremely spicy even for Asian but because it's a mixture of spices, is very flavorful as well.
 
I don't think I have ever had Indonesian cuisine, nor have I heard anyone else ever having it. I would certainly give it a try though, it looks tasty.
 
1731416711388.png

Mee Soto is another common food found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Mee = Yellow Noodles
Soto = Soup?

It's basically shredded chicken with yellow noodle soup. The garnish on top adds to the flavors too. Fried Shallots, parsley, garlic, onion and lime.

1731417086448.png

Nasi Goreng
This is very similar to the Chinese fried rice you guys know. But with more of Indonesia ingredients. They tend to add more chilli and sometimes dried fried anchovies for the salty flavor.
 
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Sounds and looks similar to Malaysian which is amazing

Yes, Indonesia and Malaysia have very similar food considering their major populations are Malay ethnic. Dishes are usually named/called the same as well. But flavors might not be exactly the same.

1731417564201.png

Pisang Goreng is another famous food out of these two countries. It's more or less similar to Banana fritters. I think it will be popular/acceptable for Westerners too.

Pisang = Banana
Goreng = fried
 
Satay is always a good time. Not sure I’ve eaten any other type but since it is close to all the other sea cuisines, I would probably enjoy a majority of it
 
View attachment 1070986

Ayam Penyet is probably more acceptable for you Westerners.
Ayam means Chicken
Penyet means smashed/pressed

It's basically fried chicken that is smashed. The chilli however is the key for the dish. It can be extremely spicy even for Asian but because it's a mixture of spices, is very flavorful as well.
I just order ayam penyet just for the tempeh if they don't serve tempeh in sos cili.
 
Yes, Indonesia and Malaysia have very similar food considering their major populations are Malay ethnic. Dishes are usually named/called the same as well. But flavors might not be exactly the same.

View attachment 1070992

Pisang Goreng is another famous food out of these two countries. It's more or less similar to Banana fritters. I think it will be popular/acceptable for Westerners too.

Pisang = Banana
Goreng = fried
images

Cekodok FTW!
 
Also known as Javanese cuisine.
Not to be pedantic, but Javanese cuisine is a subset of Indonesian food, there's a lot of regional variation. And satay refers to the skewers themselves, peanut sauce is saus kacang (nut or peanut sauce)
If Indonesians predominantly use chopsticks, it would've been what Thai cuisine was 15-20 years ago. Westerners add +12 to exoticism if a cuisine is eaten with chopsticks and hypes the shit out of it(Korean cuisine) . Look into it.


<28>
A part of this too is a lot of Indonesian cooking is more home style and simpler than Thai or other Asian cuisines.
Where's the cheese
Funny enough one of the most common cheese uses would be kue kejuh, which is a savory Dutch cookie. Really tasty but a pain in the ass to make.
Mee Soto is another common food found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Mee = Yellow Noodles
Soto = Soup?

It's basically shredded chicken with yellow noodle soup. The garnish on top adds to the flavors too. Fried Shallots, parsley, garlic, onion and lime.
Soto would be the catch all (ie chicken noodle soup). That picture is the most commonly found variation but most regions have their own take, whether it's what goes in the soup or what flavors the soup.

My personal favorite dishes from growing up (many ironically are Dutch):
Rendang (stewed beef, can range from almost jerky to a slow cooked beef in execution)
Perkedel (double fried potato and meat fritters
Tahu talor (Jakarta take on a fried omelet with tofu and filling, topped with peanut sauce)
Kroket (self explanatory, I like dry fillings more)
Pangsit Goreng (fried wantons, filling tends to be sweeter than other Asian dumplings, sometimes with nutmeg or mace)
Lapis Legit (layered cake, you have to like spice cakes and butter, stupidly time consuming to make and expensive)
 
I looked around and I don't know where I could go to even get some authentic Indonesian in FL. Would love to try some of these recommendations one day.
 
But can they make a chicken taste like a sickeningly sweet orange?
 
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