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The most popular dish in Indonesian Yogyakarta is called gudeg, a unique dish made with unripe jackfruit cooked in coconut milk. The two most common varieties are dry and wet gudeg. Both varieties use the same ingredients, but the dry gudeg uses less coconut milk, is cooked longer, and has a much thicker sauce.
Because it is easier to consume and transport it, the dry variety is more frequent today. It is an authentic Indonesian dish usually sold by street vendors or at specialized gudeg restaurants. The most common condiments served with gudeg are white rice, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, tempeh, or tofu.
MOST ICONIC Gudeg
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In its basic form, Indonesian-style fried chicken consists of chicken cuts, preferably bone-in pieces such as thighs and drumsticks, which are marinated in spices, then shortly braised before being fried until golden and crispy. The marinade is typically based on traditional spices such as lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and tamarind, but since the dish is enjoyed throughout the country, it comes in numerous regional variations that may include other spices and marinades, or various additions such as grated coconut or rice flour crumbs.
All varieties of ayam goreng can be enjoyed as individual dishes, usually accompanied by rice and fresh vegetables or salads, but ayam goreng is also a common side dish at Indonesian banquet-style meals.
MOST ICONIC Ayam goreng
Satay is a traditional dish consisting of skewered meat that's served with a sauce on the side. All types of meat can be used to make satay, even some exotic varieties such as crocodile or snake meat. In most cases, the meat is marinated before grilling.
Marinades vary, but typically include dark soy sauce, sugar, garlic, lime juice, and other seasonings. It is believed that satay originated in the Indonesian region of Java and that it was developed under the influence of Muslim traders who migrated from India.
VARIATIONS OF Satay
MOST ICONIC Satay
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Sayur lodeh is a traditional dish made with vegetables stewed in coconut milk. Eggplant, jackfruit, melinjo, long beans, and carrots are the most common vegetables used in the dish. However, sayur lodeh is so versatile that any vegetable can be utilized.
The spices can also be adjusted, but sayur lodeh should always be generously seasoned and spiced. The origin of sayur lodeh is the Indonesian island of Java, and it is traditionally served on slametan - Javanese feasts celebrating certain special occasions.
MOST ICONIC Sayur lodeh
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This West Javanese specialty consists of chewy balls prepared with a base of tapioca flour and various additions that may include dried shrimp, garlic, scallions, or chives. Whether boiled or fried, cilok balls are typically accompanied by a sweet peanut sauce or spicy sauces based on ketchup and kecap manis.
Cilok is sold by street vendors and it is usually served on sticks or skewers.
MOST ICONIC Cilok
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This quintessential Southeast Asian condiment is usually made only with spicy chili peppers and salt. It is occasionally adapted with lime juice, onions, sugar, ginger, shrimp paste, or vinegar. Traditionally prepared in a mortar, it is characterized by its thick consistency and an incredibly strong and sharp flavor.
This original Indonesian creation has gained worldwide acclaim, and store bought varieties are available at numerous Asian food markets and international stores around the world. Sambal is used in a variety of Asian dishes, usually as a spicy condiment, seasoning, or a topping served alongside meat, seafood, vegetables, or rice.
VARIATIONS OF Sambal
MOST ICONIC Sambal
This Indonesian stir-fry is usually based on vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, mushrooms, or Chinese broccoli, but it is occasionally prepared with the addition of beef, shrimps, chicken, or fish meatballs. The ingredients are stir-fried and then finished off with the addition of a thick sauce that usually combines meat or vegetable broth, oyster sauce, spices, cornstarch, and (occasionally) soy sauce.
The dish was created under Chinese culinary influence, and in Hokkien dialect, the name cap cai translates to mixed vegetables.
MOST ICONIC Cap cai
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Sate kere is a traditional dish and a type of satay associated with Solo city (Surakarta). The name of the dish literally means poor man's satay because in the past, satay was an expensive dish prepared with beef or chicken, so the poor learned to make it with leftover offal or tempeh gambus, a byproduct of making tofu.
The pieces of offal or tempeh gambus are placed on skewers, then grilled. When served, sate kere is traditionally accompanied by a special peanut sauce with chili peppers and shallots. Although it's inexpensive, sate kere is the favorite dish of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
MOST ICONIC Sate kere
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This Indonesian goat stew originated in Surakarta, Java. It is believed that the dish appeared during the Dutch rule when the best goat cuts were usually distributed among the rich, and what was left for the poor were goat bones which still had some meat attached to them.
The bones are cooked in a thin, coconut-milk-based broth that is enriched with various herbs and spices such as turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, cumin, coriander, garlic, and onions, while some establishments also may include the addition of goat innards.
MOST ICONIC Tengkleng
Rendang is an Indonesian meat dish which originated among the Minangkabau people in West Sumatra. The dish is famous for its spiciness and a long cooking procedure. It is often compared to Indian curry because of its consistency and unique flavors.
The theory about how rendang was invented claims that the generous use of spices and long cooking hours were employed to preserve the meat in hot and tropical climates, such as Indonesian, so unsurprisingly, the need to preserve meat for a longer period appeared among the Minangkabau people.
VARIATIONS OF Rendang
MOST ICONIC Rendang
