Siomay is an Indonesian dish consisting of steamed cone-shaped fish dumplings, eggs, potatoes, cabbage, tofu, and bitter melon. After they have been steamed, all ingredients are assembled on a plate, cut into bite-sized pieces, and generously drizzled with a spicy peanut sauce.
The final touch to the dish is a splash of sweet soy sauce, along with a drizzle of lime juice. Siomay is derived from Chinese shumai, and it is believed to have originated among Chinese immigrants who came to Indonesia during the Dutch colonial period.
MOST ICONIC Siomay
View moreOne of the most famous snacks in Indonesia is batagor, a fried fish dumpling served in a traditional spicy sauce. It has roots in the Chinese culinary tradition, which has left a trace on many Indonesian dishes. Although this famous snack is reminiscent of the more famous Chinese dumpling, its distinguishable characteristic is that it is fried, not steamed.
The most common fish used to make the dish is wahoo, but tuna, mackerel, and even prawns can also be used. Potatoes, tofu, or cabbage are also occasionally added to the dish. Batagor is the perfect snack because of the way it is served. When fried, the dumplings are cut into small bite-sized pieces and covered in peanut, soy, and chili sauce with a splash of lime juice.
MOST ICONIC Batagor
View moreSate kambing is a traditional dish and a type of satay prepared with goat or mutton as the main ingredient. The meat is cut into chunks or cubes and it's marinated in a combination of ingredients such as kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), galangal, ground shallots, pineapple juice, and (often) chili peppers.
After it's been marinated, the meat is placed on skewers that are larger and thicker than the ones used for chicken satay as the texture and thickness of mutton or goat is tougher than chicken. The skewers for sate kambing are usually made from bamboo.
MOST ICONIC Sate kambing
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Sate Madura is a traditional dish and a type of sate originating from the island of Madura, hence the name. The dish is prepared with chicken or mutton pieces that are placed onto skewers and grilled. This type of sate is different from most other types since the meat is cut into thinner chunks than usual.
The skewers are accompanied by a dark sauce made with a combination of kecap manis (sweetened soy sauce), palm sugar, fried shallots, shrimp paste, peanut paste, candlenuts, salt, and garlic. If made with chicken, the dish is served in peanut sauce, while the mutton version often comes served in kecap manis.
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
View morePadang satay is a spicy, rich, and aromatic Indonesian satay originating from Padang, West Sumatra, known for its thick, flavorful curry-based sauce. Unlike other Indonesian satay varieties that use peanut sauce or sweet soy sauce, Padang satay is distinct for its bold, turmeric-infused, and mildly spicy gravy, made from beef broth, rice flour, and a blend of local spices.
The skewered meat—usually beef, beef tongue, or offal like intestines and heart—is first boiled in spiced broth until tender, then grilled over charcoal to achieve a smoky, caramelized crust. The signature thick, golden-brown sauce is made by reducing the broth used to cook the meat, thickened with rice flour, and enhanced with galangal, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemongrass, and chilies, giving it a savory, slightly spicy, and deeply aromatic flavor.
MOST ICONIC Padang satay
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Sate babi is a traditional dish and a type of satay made with pork as the main ingredient. The meat is cut into cubes and marinated in a combination of garlic, lemon juice, kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), salt, and pepper. The pieces of meat are then placed on skewers and grilled until done.
During the grilling process, the meat is sometimes additionally brushed with the marinade. When served, sate babi is accompanied by the kecap manis sauce which is the same as the marinade, or with peanut sauce. If desired, the skewers can also be accompanied by steamed rice or rice cakes on the side.
MOST ICONIC Sate babi
View moreSatay 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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Pempek is a traditional fish cake made with ground fish meat and tapioca. The actual origin of this dish is the city of Palembang, situated in the South Sumatra province. The origin story of pempek says that an old Palembang citizen was tired of the traditional fried or grilled fish, so he thought of an innovative way to ground the meat, mix it with tapioca flour, and deep-fry it to get a crunchy and delicious snack.
He then used to cycle through the city and sell the fish cakes to Palembang citizens. Over time, pempek was recognized as a praise-worthy snack, and today it is considered to be a traditional Indonesian delicacy. These round or rectangular cakes are usually steamed, and right before serving they are fried in vegetable oil and cut into bite-sized pieces.
MOST ICONIC Pempek
View moreBubur ayam is the Indonesian version of chicken congee, a thick rice porridge topped with shredded chicken and various savory condiments. This breakfast staple probably originates from the Chinese rice porridge, but it employs regionally available ingredients and toppings to create an authentic Indonesian dish.
The process starts with boiling chicken (usually darker, on the bone pieces), and the same broth is typically used to cook the rice until it becomes dense in consistency. Besides rice porridge and shredded chicken, bubur ayam can employ a myriad of other ingredients.
MOST ICONIC Bubur ayam
View moreTasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 45 Indonesian Street Foods” list until March 21, 2025, 2,517 ratings were recorded, of which 1,603 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.