And I’m back! This week’s feature country is Indonesia, a country that is made up of over 17,000 islands and nearly 240 million people. With that many people, there’s bound to be some good food! So grab a drink, sit down, and prepare for a yummy read.
Geographically speaking, the islands of Indonesia are scattered over 5,000 kilometres (over 3,000 miles) along the equator. They vary between mountainous and relatively flat in terrain, have a tropical climate, and boast an incredible assortment of flora and fauna.
Indonesia’s history is long (there is evidence of people inhabiting the country 500 million years ago!) and complicated, and this has certainly had an influence on the culture. For a detailed description of its history, click here. Hundreds of different ethnic groups have developed over time, and they’ve been greatly influenced by a variety of cultures, including European (notably Dutch and Portuguese), Indian, Arabic, Chinese, and those of neighbouring countries.
As the ethnic groups and way of life in the country change from place to place, so does the cuisine – so it’s virtually impossible to narrow down the food of Indonesia as a whole.
The constant is in the ingredients; with the tropical climate and such an amazing assortment of produce available (think tropical fruits and veggies like banana, melon, coconut, durian, pineapple, mango, mangosteen, jackfruit, yams, soy, sprouts, carrots, cabbage, and beans) Indonesian dishes are never boring. It’s also important to remember that in most of the country, food must conform to Islamic food laws (halal), so pork and alcohol is usually excluded. In areas where there are many non-Muslims, these otherwise forbidden ingredients are permitted.
Rice (usually served plain, but sometimes cooked in coconut milk, steamed in coconut fronds or banana leaves, as noodles, or fried) is often the main dish, and is served with vegetables (typically sautéed with garlic… yum!) and meat on the side. Food is usually spicy, and is made so with liberal use of chillies on their own or in the form of flakes, powders, pastes, and sauces like sambal. Not only is food spicy heat-wise, but it is also abundantly flavoured with a delightful selection of spices (and herbs), including clove, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, galangal, lemongrass, shallot, coriander, tamarind, and garlic. Peanuts are used in a ton of different dishes (not a good place for those with nut allergies, but great if you love peanuts!) as are coconut products.
Popular items in Indonesia, some of which are also quite popular outside of the country, include nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles), satay, basko (meatballs), pempek (fish cakes), gorengan (assorted fritters), gado gado (vegetable salad), pisang goreng (fried banana cakes), and krupuk (crackers served with meals). Coffee, tea (jasmine or green), and fruit juice are the most commonly drank beverages, though there are many different types that are popular throughout the country (many of which are sweet, spiced, and warm!).
It’s certainly a delicious sounding country, don’t you agree? I can’t wait until Wednesday, for the Recipe of the Week. Have you ever been to Indonesia? What was your favourite dish? Do you ever make Indonesian food at home?
* Photo Credits: Riza Nugraha (volcanoes), sektordua (fisherman), jensen_chua (satay cart), and flydime (sacred monkey).