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Best Sumatran Foods
Padang 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.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Satay
MOST ICONIC Padang satay
MAIN INGREDIENTS
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
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Gulai ayam is a chicken-based version of gulai—traditional Indonesian curry-like dish. It consists of chicken cuts that are slowly simmered in a complex, spicy sauce which is based on coconut milk and various spices that typically include chilis, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and nutmeg, as well as shallots, garlic, and candlenuts.
It is believed that the dish first appeared in Padang, West Sumatra, but it is now enjoyed throughout the country. Gulai ayam is usually served with steamed rice on the side.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Gulai
MOST ICONIC Gulai ayam
Mie Aceh is a bold and aromatic noodle dish originating from Aceh, the northernmost province of Sumatra, Indonesia, where the culinary landscape is deeply influenced by the region’s historical role as a trading hub, blending Indian, Arab, and Chinese flavors into a uniquely rich and spicy dish.
This beloved specialty is made with thick yellow wheat noodles that are stir-fried or served in a deeply spiced, curry-like broth infused with an intense blend of garlic, shallots, chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and curry powder, creating a dish that is both fiery and deeply fragrant.
MOST ICONIC Mie aceh
Tekwan is a traditional fish ball soup. The essential component of the dish are tekwan fish balls, from which the dish derives its name. Usually made with fish paste, tapioca, and flour, they are boiled or fried before being added to the soup. The broth is usually fish or shrimp-based, and mushrooms, dried lily flowers, slices of jicama, garlic, and scallions are subsequently added and served with tekwan.
Some varieties of the dish also include vermicelli noodles and other vegetables. The origin of tekwan is believed to be the city of Palembang, located in South Sumatra, from where this delicious soup has spread across the country. It is usually found on the menus of Indonesian restaurants, and it is commonly served at warungs - traditional Indonesian street food stalls.
MOST ICONIC Tekwan
Babi panggang is an Indonesian term which refers to a wide variety of grilled or roasted pork dishes. It is believed that the tradition of preparing pork in Indonesia grew out of Chinese culinary heritage, and because of religious reasons pork dishes are usually found in areas with a predominant Christian and Hindu population.
Besides the extremely popular babi guling, the Balinese suckling pig, there is a broad category of different grilled pork dishes traditional to the area of North Sumatra. Before grilling, the meat is usually marinated in a mixture of traditional Indonesian spices, such as ginger, garlic, galangal, and Indonesian soy sauce ketjap manis.
MOST ICONIC Babi panggang
This soto variety combines chicken or beef with a creamy broth that is enriched with coconut milk and a myriad of different spices and herbs such as galangal, turmeric, ginger, and coriander. The meat is cooked, then shredded and fried before it's doused in a flavorful broth.
The dish is finished off with various condiments such as boiled eggs, fish cakes, prawn crackers, potato fritters, or fried shallots, while the rice is typically served on the side. As its name suggests, this soto variety hails from the city of Medan, where it's regarded as a signature dish and a highly sought-after regional delicacy.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Soto
MOST ICONIC Soto Medan
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
Kepiting saus Padang is a traditional seafood dish. It consists of crab that's served in spicy Padang sauce. Mud crabs or blue crabs are usually used for the preparation of this dish. They're boiled in hot water until fully cooked (they will turn red), then shortly simmered in the sauce.
The spicy Padang sauce is usually made with a combination of shallots, garlic, ginger, candlenuts, chili peppers, turmeric, onions, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, ketchup, and oyster sauce. It's often enriched and thickened with lightly beaten eggs.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Telur balado is a popular Indonesian dish that consists of hard-boiled eggs in a spicy chilli sauce. The hard-boiled eggs are fried until the outer layer becomes slightly crispy, and are then coated or served with a spicy sauce made from a blend of ground red chilies, shallots or onions, garlic, tomato, tamarind, sugar, and salt, with the addition of lime leaves or lemongrass for extra aroma.
The dish can be enjoyed as a main course or a side dish, often accompanied by steamed rice and other Indonesian dishes.
Dendeng balado is a traditional meat dish originating from Padang. The dish is made with a combination of thinly sliced beef that's fried until crispy and a spicy chili sambal. The sambal is usually served on top of the meat. The beef is typically fried in the mix of reduced shallots, garlic, ginger, sugar, water, oil, and salt.
The balado sambal consists of chili peppers, shallots, garlic, sugar, vinegar, and water, all mashed into a rough paste. When served, dendeng balado is often accompanied by white rice on the side.
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Best Sumatran Food Producers
Gayo Kopi is a distinguished Indonesian company specializing in the production and export of premium Wild Kopi Luwak coffee. Their beans are sourced from the Gayo Highlands in Northern Sumatra, where wild civets naturally select and consume the finest coffee cherries.
This natural process imparts unique flavor profiles to the beans, resulting in a rich and indulgent coffee experience. Gayo Kopi is committed to ethical sourcing, ensuring that all their Kopi Luwak is collected from wild, uncaged civets, thereby supporting both environmental sustainability and animal welfare.
BEST Gayo Kopi Coffees
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Best Sumatran Food Products
Gayo Kopi's Arabica Luwak Coffee is a premium offering sourced from 100% wild civets in the Gayo Highlands of Sumatra. This ethically produced coffee boasts a rich aroma with hints of chocolate and an exquisite caramel finish, delivering a luxurious and complex flavor profile.
The beans are freshly roasted and packaged in a gold foil pouch with a degassing valve to ensure optimal freshness. Each pouch is encased in a keepsake luxury tin with double lids, presented in an elegant display box. Please note, this product is currently out of stock.
TasteAtlas 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. 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.