World Flavors Cookbook

Indonesia Recipes

Indonesian cuisine is as diverse as its 17,000 islands, shaped by indigenous traditions and centuries of trade with India, China, and the Middle East. From the complex spice pastes of Sumatra to the sweet-savory notes of Java, it is a masterclass in aromatics.

Recipes from Indonesia

• Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

  Indonesia's most famous street food; smoky, sweet-savory fried rice sold at warungs everywhere.

• Sate Ayam (Chicken Satay)

  Grilled chicken skewers marinated in a blend of spices, served with a rich and creamy peanut sauce.

• Rendang Daging (Beef Rendang)

  A slow-cooked, rich and dry beef curry caramelized in coconut milk and a complex spice paste.

• Gado-Gado (Vegetable Salad)

  A mixed vegetable salad with boiled potatoes, bean sprouts, tofu, and hard-boiled eggs, topped with a warm peanut dressing.

• Martabak Telur (Stuffed Flatbread)

  A crispy, savory stuffed flatbread filled with a mixture of beaten eggs, green onions, and spiced ground meat.

• Bakso (Indonesian Meatball Soup)

  A comforting clear broth soup with springy beef meatballs, yellow noodles, and rice vermicelli.

• Pecel Lele (Fried Catfish with Sambal)

  Deep-fried catfish served with a spicy tomato sambal and fresh raw vegetables.

• Soto Ayam (Yellow Chicken Soup)

  A fragrant yellow chicken soup flavored with turmeric, ginger, and lemongrass, garnished with vermicelli and boiled eggs.

• Nasi Uduk (Betawi Coconut Rice)

  Fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk, cloves, and cinnamon, a specialty of the Betawi people of Jakarta.

• Ayam Goreng (Indonesian Fried Chicken)

  Traditional fried chicken braised in spices before being fried to a golden crisp, resulting in deep, savory flavor throughout.

• Mie Goreng (Fried Noodles)

  A savory and slightly sweet stir-fried yellow noodle dish with vegetables, egg, and meat.

• Lumpia Semarang (Spring Rolls)

  Traditional spring rolls from Semarang filled with sweet bamboo shoots, shrimp, and chicken.

• Es Campur (Mixed Ice Dessert)

  A colorful and cooling dessert made with shaved ice, grass jelly, jackfruit, coconut, and condensed milk.

• Roti Bakar (Grilled Bread Sandwich)

  Thick-cut grilled bread sandwiches filled with sweet or savory fillings, a popular street food supper.

• Martabak Manis (Sweet Stuffed Pancake)

  A thick, fluffy, and spongy pancake-wrap filled with chocolate, cheese, and crushed peanuts.

• Pepes Ikan (Fish in Banana Leaf)

  Fresh fish marinated in a complex spice paste, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or grilled.

• Tempe Mendoan (Batter-Fried Tempeh)

  Thinly sliced tempeh dipped in a spiced flour batter with green onions and fried until just soft-crispy.

• Perkedel Kentang (Potato Fritters)

  Savory fried patties made from mashed potatoes mixed with garlic and shallots.

• Opor Ayam (White Chicken Curry)

  A mild and aromatic white chicken curry cooked in coconut milk with lemongrass and coriander.

• Ketupat Sayur (Rice Cakes in Vegetable Curry)

  Compressed rice cakes (ketupat) served in a spicy coconut milk vegetable stew, often with labu siam (chayote).

• Pisang Molen (Banana Wraps)

  Small bananas wrapped in a thin layer of pastry dough and deep-fried until crunchy.

• Telur Balado (Spicy Eggs)

  Hard-boiled eggs deep-fried until blistered, then tossed in a fiery red chili sauce.

• Karedok (Raw Vegetable Salad)

  A Sundanese raw vegetable salad with cucumbers, beans, and cabbage in a spicy peanut sauce.

• Dadar Gulung (Pandan Crepe with Coconut)

  Green pandan-flavored crepes filled with a sweet mixture of grated coconut and palm sugar.

• Ikan Goreng (Fried Whole Fish)

  Deep-fried whole fish seasoned with turmeric and garlic, served with a spicy sambal dipping sauce.

• Sayur Asem (Sour Vegetable Soup)

  A light and tangy vegetable soup flavored with tamarind, featuring peanuts, corn, and chayote.

• Rendang Ayam (Chicken Rendang)

  A version of the famous slow-cooked curry using chicken, which cooks faster but retains all the complex spice flavor.

• Plecing Kangkung (Spicy Water Spinach)

  Blanched water spinach served with a fiery, raw sambal of tomatoes and chillies, a specialty of Lombok.

• Bebek Betutu (Balinese Spiced Duck)

  A legendary Balinese ceremonial dish: a whole duck stuffed with "Base Gede" spice paste and slow-roasted in banana leaves.

• Nasi Campur (Mixed Rice)

  A personal-sized sampler of Indonesian cuisine: a scoop of rice served with small portions of several meats and vegetables.

• Nasi Goreng Kampung

  Village-style fried rice with crispy anchovies, water spinach, and egg — simpler and more rustic than the restaurant version.

• Soto Betawi (Jakarta Beef Soup)

  Jakarta's rich, coconut-milk beef soup with potatoes, tomato, and tripe — the most opulent of Indonesia's many soto soups.

• Rawon (Black Beef Soup)

  East Java's extraordinary black beef soup colored and flavored by keluak nuts — dark, earthy, and deeply complex.

• Tahu Tempe Bacem

  Tofu and tempeh braised in sweet Javanese spiced coconut water until caramelized — the sweet-savory everyday protein of Central Java.

• Gulai Ikan (Fish Curry)

  Whole fish simmered in a rich Sumatran coconut curry with turmeric, galangal, and kemangi — the everyday gulai of the Indonesian coast.

• Opor Ayam

  Chicken braised in a pale, lightly spiced coconut milk sauce — Central Java's Eid celebration dish, always served with ketupat.

• Sayur Lodeh

  Javanese mixed vegetable coconut milk soup with young jackfruit, eggplant, and long beans — the humble, nourishing daily soup.

• Es Doger (Bandung Ice Dessert)

  Bandung's famous shaved ice dessert with pink coconut milk ice cream, sweet cassava, coconut flesh, and syrup.

• Serundeng (Spiced Toasted Coconut)

  Freshly grated coconut dry-fried with shallots, garlic, and spices until golden and crispy — the essential Indonesian condiment sprinkled over rice.

• Mie Aceh (Acehnese Spicy Noodles)

  Thick egg noodles stir-fried in a fiery Acehnese spice paste with shrimp, beef, and curry broth — from the island of Sumatra.

• Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

  Indonesia's national dish — smoky, sweet, and savory fried rice seasoned with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shrimp paste, and chili, topped with a fried egg, crispy shallots, and prawn crackers.