Food & Drink:, Indonesia

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The staple diet for most Indonesians is rice (nasi), which is replaced on some islands with corn, sago, cassava and sweet potatoes. Rice dishes include nais campur, nasi uduk and rasirames. IndonesiaÂ’s spices make its local cuisine unique. Specialities include: rijstafel (a Dutch concoction consisting of a variety of meats, fish, vegetables and curries), sate (chunks of beef, fish, pork, chicken or lamb cooked on hot coals and dipped in peanut sauce). Almost every type of international cuisine is available in Jakarta, the most popular being Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese and Korean sate ajam (broiled, skewered marinated chicken), ajam ungkap (Central Java; deep-fried, marinated chicken), sate lileh (Bali; broiled, skewered fish sticks), ikan acar kuning (Jakarta; lightly marinated fried fish served in a sauce of pickled spices and palm sugar), soto (a soup dish with dumpling, chicken and vegetables), gado-gado (Java; a salad of raw and cooked vegetables with peanut and coconut milk sauce), babi guling (Bali; roast suckling pig) and opor ajam (boiled chicken in coconut milk and light spices). Indonesians like their food highly spiced and the visitor should always bear this in mind. In particular look out for the tiny, fiery hot, red and green peppers often included in salads and vegetable dishes. Seafood is excellent and features highly on menus everywhere (with salt and fresh water fish, lobsters, oysters, prawns, shrimp, squid, shark and crab all available). Coconuts, which are found everywhere, are often used for cooking. Vegetables and fresh fruit, such as bananas, papaya, pineapple and oranges, are available throughout the year; some tropical fruit such as mango, watermelon and papaya is seasonal. A feature of Jakarta are the many warungs (street stalls). Each specialises in its own dish or drink, but travellers are probably best advised not to try them without the advice of an Indonesian resident. There are restaurants in the hotels which, along with many others, serve European, Chinese and Indian food.
Indonesia is a major producer and exporter of coffee and tea, which is available on almost every street corner. Bali produces a delicious rice wine called brem while in Tana Toraja (southern Sulawesi), visitors may wish to sample a Tuak, a famously potent local brew. Local pilsner beer is also available.

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General Tips about Indonesia

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