Basic Tools and Equipment

1.) Solid Wooden Chopping block or Heavy Wooden Cutting Board

(Talenan) — This is made of wood on which material for cutting or chopping is
placed like meat, fish or vegetable etc. The larger sizes are most appropriate for
this style of cooking.
2.) Heavy Cleaver (Pisau dapur) — used in combination with the chopping
board. This is used in chopping up meats and seafood, bruising stalks of
lemongrass or smash cardamom pods to release their fragrance.
3.) Food Processor, Blender, or Electric Spice Grinder - Used to grind and
crush seasonings. In Indonesian cuisine often the first step is grinding or
crushing the seasonings that form the basis of each dish. To do this, traditionally
and still popular nowadays especially in Indonesia itself, the cook uses a granite
or volcanic grinding stone together with a granite pestle. Therefore a food
processor, blender, or electric spice grinder will do this task.
4.) Wok (Wajan) - Essential for many Indonesian dishes for deep-frying and stir
frying because it requires less oil then a conventional deep fryer. Moreover, it
allows just the right amount of evaporation for those dishes which begin with a
large amount of liquid and finish with a thick sauce.
5.) Frying Shovel or Spatula (Sudip) - is an essential partner of a wok. Used
for lifting and turning items
6.) Woven Bamboo Steamer - A bamboo steamer is preferred to a metal steamer
because it absorbs more moisture rather than letting it fall back into the food.
Also this steamer fits perfectly inside a wok just above the boiling water.
7.) Electric Rice Cooker (Penanak nasi) - Plain white rice is the main dish in
most Indonesian meals. This is much more convenient than the traditional
dandang rice cooker which requires a fair bit of attention, since the rice is first
partially boiled, then finished by steaming.
8.) Saucer-shaped Granite Grinding Stone (cobek and ulek) - Together
with a granite pestle. This granite saucer is often used to serve sambal (chili
sauce).

Indonesian cooking methods are similar to those used in any other Asian or Western
kitchen. However, there is one important basic ingredient that you need to know how to
prepare: the basic spice paste. There are varieties of basic spice pastes and they are
called basic because they are the seasoning bases of almost all Indonesian dishes. In
Indonesia, saucer-shaped granite grinding stone (mortar) and pestle are used.
Ingredients are peeled as necessary and sometimes chopped or sliced into small pieces
so they will be easier to grind. The pestle is used with a backwards and forwards motion
across the mortar until the ingredients are blended together into a smooth paste. If you
are using a blender or a food processor, the order of processing the spices is much the
same as using a mortar, but in some cases you might need to add some liquid to keep
the blades of the machine turning during the blending process. The liquid could be oil if
the spice paste needs to be fried or either coconut milk, stock or water if the spice paste
is to be simmered.
Cooking Method
1.) Menggoreng (Deep Frying) - This technique is literally used every time and
everywhere. This cooking method requires lots of oil. Deep frying is a process of
cooking with lots of oil until the food is immersed entirely into the oil. This
cooking process is able to make dry and crunchy foods after they are fried
perfectly.
2.) Mendidih (Simmering) - This technique is basically pretty similar with
boiling. The difference lies in the time management. Simmering method needs
longer time than the boiling method. This technique is popular in Indonesia
because it has the ability to produce foods with authentic aroma and flavors. The
foods will have good aroma and delicious broth because the ingredients and
seasoning are boiled longer.
3.) Memanggang (Grilling, Broiling) - Both are flash cooking techniques that
are mostly applied to cook meat that becomes naturally soft, poultry or fish.
Grilling utilizes a simultaneous heat source from below, while the broiling uses
heat from above. Grilling cooking method generally used by Indonesian people to
make satay.
4.) Merebus (Boiling) - is a familiar cooking method for Indonesian people. This
cooking method is very simple, by soaking the ingredients in the water then boil
them until they are cooked. Indonesian people use this technique to cook instant
noodles or vegetables.
5.) Kukus or Mengukus (Steaming) - This is one of the most common cooking
methods among Indonesian people, steaming. The step to steam ingredients is by
using a steaming pot. The steaming pot is filled with boiling water underneath,
then place a smaller pot or corm to put the steamed food.
6.) Menyetup or Menyemur (Stewing) - The process to stew the ingredients
does not require water, but still, it includes a wet cooking method because it uses
kaldu, coconut milk, or maybe a thick seasoning liquid which has been cooked
before. The liquid used for the stewing process is not too much. The cooking
process is done slowly so that the aroma from the cooking will appear perfectly.
Moreover, slowly cooking is done to produce dishes with softer textures.