Indonesian cooking blends Chinese, Indian, and Middle Eastern influences into food you find everywhere from street stalls to family tables: savory soups, spicy curries, and sweet snacks. These ten dishes are the ones to know.
1. Nasi goreng
Indonesian fried rice: cooked rice stir-fried with vegetables and chicken, beef, or shrimp, often topped with a fried egg. A street food staple.
2. Gado-gado
A salad of boiled vegetables, tofu, and boiled eggs under a peanut sauce dressing.
3. Satay
Small pieces of grilled chicken, lamb, or beef on skewers, usually served with peanut sauce.
4. Soto
A soup of broth, chicken or beef, and vegetables, usually served with rice or noodles. Common street food across the country.
5. Bakso
Meatballs of ground beef or chicken, served in broth with noodles and vegetables.
6. Rendang
A spicy curry of beef or chicken slow-cooked in coconut milk and aromatic spices.
7. Ketupat
Rice cooked inside a woven palm leaf pouch, often served alongside rendang or satay.
8. Nasi padang
Steamed rice with a spread of side dishes: beef rendang, chicken curry, vegetables, and more.
9. Martabak
A savory stuffed pancake: thin, flaky dough filled with meat and vegetables, fried until crispy.
10. Pisang goreng
Bananas coated in a thin batter and deep-fried. Eaten as dessert or straight from a street stall.
Start with nasi goreng or satay, then work your way down the list.