The Neotia University

DH Road, Sarisha
West Bengal
Indonesian Cuisine

Geographical Influences

Indonesia is composed of
many small islands that
make the nation the largest
archipelago in the world
with more than 300 ethnic
groups residing. 90% of the
population is Muslim with
hundreds of tribes,
subcultures, and languages.

Historical Influences

Indonesia's cooking
techniques and ingredients
were influenced by India, Middle East, China, and finally Europe. Spanish and Portuguese traders
brought many New World products. Thus Cuisine of Indonesia has influences from various rulers e.g.
Gulai (a type of food containing rich, spicy and succulent curry-like
sauce commonly found in Indonesia) bears evidence of Indian &
Middle Eastern Influences, whereas foods such as noodles, meat
balls, and spring rolls were introduced by Chinese. Today, some
popular dishes that originated in Indonesia such as satay, beef
rendang, and sambal are favored & common to neighboring
countries such as Malaysia & Singapore.

Customs & Table manner

An Indonesian traditional meal usually consists of

steamed rice as staple, surrounded by vegetables and
soup and meat or fish side dishes. In a typical family
meal, the family members gather around the table
filled with steamed rice and several other dishes. Each
dish is placed in a separate communal large plate or in
bowls. Each of these dishes has its own serving
spoons, used only to take parts of the dishes from the
communal plate into one's own personal plate. Each
of the family members has their own personal plate
that is first filled with steamed rice. Usually the oldest
Page3
 The Neotia University
DH Road, Sarisha
West Bengal
family member or the husband has the right to initiate the meal, followed by the rest of the family to
help themselves with the dishes.

Staples

Rice is most common staple often eaten as plain rice with just a
few protein and vegetable dishes as side dishes. It is also served,
however, as nasi uduk (rice cooked in coconut milk), nasi kuning
(rice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric), lontong (rice
steamed in banana leaves), rice crackers, desserts, vermicelli,
noodles, arak (rice wine), and nasi goreng (fried rice). Nasi goreng
is considered as national dish of Indonesia.

Wheat is not a native plant to Indonesia, however through

imports and foreign influences — most notably Chinese and
Dutch — Indonesians began to develop a taste for wheat-based
foodstuff, especially Chinese noodles, Indian roti, and Dutch
bread. Other than common steamed rice, the Chinese in
Indonesia also considered noodles and bakpao (Type of steamed
bun originally from China) as staples. The European, especially the
Portuguese and the Dutch, introduced bread and various type of
bakery and pastry. These European staples have now become alternatives for a quick breakfast.

Regional cuisines of Indonesia

are based upon indigenous
culture with some foreign
influences. Most of
Indonesians favor hot and
spicy food, thus sambal, a
spicy sauce made from chiles,
shrimp paste, and tomatoes,
is available everywhere and is
eaten with main dishes and
snacks. Satay—pieces of
grilled meat, poultry, or
seafood served with spicy
peanut sauce—is Indonesia’s
best-known dish. One of the
region’s most unique foods is
the vegetarian tempeh or
Tempe (fermented soybean
Page3

paste packed into brick like a

cake). This is made from soybeans and was originally produced to be a food similar to China’s tofu.
 The Neotia University
DH Road, Sarisha
West Bengal
Gado-gado, a dish of mixed vegetables and salad with both tofu and tempeh, topped with a spicy
peanut sauce, is one of the typical ways in which it is used.

In Bali the cuisine and culture are distinctively

different due to the predominance of the Hindu
religion on the island. Babi guling, a dish of spit-
roast suckling pig stuffed with herbs, is one of
the most distinctive Balinese dishes. Along with
rice, other sources of starch; sago, cassava, and
taro are popular staples. There is a large variety
of fresh fish to choose from, including eels,
squid, barracuda, crab, and shrimp.

Page3