Indonesian Side Dishes

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 characteri... READ MORE

Perkedel are Indonesian fried delicacies consisting of either mashed potatoes, ground meat, ground corn, or minced fish (perkedel ikan). The name of these savory patties is derived from the Dutch word frikadel, showing the Dutch ... READ MORE

This traditional Indonesian dish consists of rice cooked in coconut milk that is usually seasoned with turmeric, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Even though yellow rice is the star of nasi kuning, the dish is assembled out of other Indonesian ... READ MORE

Lontong is a traditional Indonesian rice cake, made by boiling tightly packed rice in banana leaves until it forms a firm, compact texture. The result is a mildly fragrant, chewy, and slightly firm rice cake, which is... READ MORE

Krupuk encompasses a vast group of Asian crackers that are typically made with starch and additional ingredients, which are used as flavorings. These crispy crackers are a staple in Asia, but they are strongly associated with Indonesia, which boas... READ MORE

Tempeh mendoan is a variety of fried tempeh that hails from Purwokerto. Thin slices of tempeh—fermented soybean product—are dipped in batter that is enriched with ground coriander, sliced scallions, and garlic before they are ... READ MORE

Nasi timbel is a traditional rice dish originating from West Java. This extremely simple nasi dish is made with rice that's wrapped in a banana leaf, then steamed until tender. Nasi timbel is rarely eaten on its own – instead, it's served wi... READ MORE

Nasi jagung is a traditional rice dish originating from Indonesia. This simple dish is made with a combination of rice, sweet corn kernels, and water. The rice and corn are boiled in water and stirred from time to time until the corn is fully cook... READ MORE

Lemang is a traditional dish that is believed to have originated in Indonesia, but it is found in many Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. It is made with sticky rice, coconut milk, optional flavorings, and salt, whi... READ MORE

The name asinan refers to traditional Indonesian salads made with pickled fruit or vegetables. It is believed that the fruit variety originates from Jakarta and the vegetable variety from the city of Bogor. The dish was developed under numerous cu... READ MORE

Tumis kangkung is a traditional dish originating from Java. The dish is usually made with a combination of kangkung (water spinach), shallots, garlic, galangal, hot chili peppers, sugar, salt, oil, and roasted shrimp paste. The garlic, shallots, h... READ MORE

Urap or urap sayur (Bali) or urab is a traditional salad that's commonly associated with Java. The salad is made with a combination of steamed or boiled vegetables and spiced grated coconut topping. The vegetables included in ura... READ MORE

Singkong goreng is a traditional dish originating from Indonesia. This simple dish is prepared with a combination of cassava, salt, garlic, coriander, oil, and water. The cassava is sliced into long strips and steamed, while the garlic is pounded ... READ MORE

Lalap or lalab is a traditional salad originating from West Java. Although there is no set recipe for the salad, it's often made with raw vegetables such as tomatoes, lemon basil, green eggplants, cucumbers, cabbage, and long beans, along... READ MORE

Burasa is a traditional rice cake hailing from the Bugis Muslim community in Makassar. The rice cake is made from rice that's cooked in coconut milk. It seems simple, but burasa is actually cooked twice, first in heavy coconut milk with a bit of s... READ MORE

Kuluban is a traditional salad originating from Jepara, Central Java. The salad is made with a combination of vegetables such as jackfruit, bean sprouts, spinach, garlic, galangal, string beans, orange leaves, and kencur ginger, along with shredde... READ MORE

Chai tow kway is a traditional dish originating from Chaoshan. The dish usually consists of radish cake (also known as turnip cake) that’s cut into cubes and stir-fried with eggs and seasonings. Radish cake is made with a combination of shre... READ MORE