Culinary Adventure around Indonesian Archipelago

Children in Maluku with ocean as their playground

by S. Kramer

With 27 provinces offering variety of unique cooking styles and taste preference, it will take some times to discover all the delicious Indonesian dishes. Indonesian people were well known as a seafaring nation and as ocean has been part of their lives and so is seafood and fish as part of their healthy diet.

catch of the day

 

 

Woku Balanga Fish Recipe from Menado, North Sulawesi

This fish dish is well known in the eastern part of Indonesia where fresh fish and seafood are easily harvested from the surrounding ocean

• 8 pieces of shallot or onion, 3 candle nuts, 1 cm fresh or powdered turmeric, 2 cm of fresh ginger, grind into a paste and sautéed in a little olive oil until fragrant
• Add a small stalk of lemon grass and 5 pieces of kefir lime leaves
• Add 750 grams of fish chunks that has been marinated in salt and lemon juice
• Add some water and cook until fish is tender
• For garnish add sliced green tomatoes, sliced green onion, sliced green and red chilies and some chopped basil leaves.
  

  Fish Woku Balanga

Beef Rendang from Padang, West Sumatra

This famous beef stew dish of West Sumatra area is best cooked slowly until the sauce gets thickened.

• Shallots, garlic, chili, star anise, tamarind, ginger, brown sugar, and salt ground to a paste and sautéed in a little oil till fragrant.
• Add 500 grams of beef chunks and cook till brown
• Add thick coconut milk and continue cooking until sauce thickened and beef becomes tender
• Serve with hot white rice and salad.
  

  Beef Rendang from Padang West Sumatra

 

Nasi Tumpeng from Yogyakarta, central Java

This celebration rice dish consists of yellow coconut rice decorated with various accompanying side dish such as fried chicken, potato  frikadel, shredded omelette, coconut serundeng, beef rendang, sautéed green beans, cucumber tomatoes and of course the shrimp crackers to go with. Usually served for special occasions like birthday or graduation,the yellow rice symbolizes well-wishes and success.

Nasi Tumpeng Yogyakarta Central Java