Indonesian Culinary Delights You Should Not Miss
A complete list of traditional culinary delights from all 33 provinces of Indonesia. Discover mouthwatering traditional dishes from Aceh to Papua.
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| Source: Source jejaknesia.com |
www.jejaknesia.com - Indonesia is a country with extraordinary culinary wealth. From Sabang to Merauke, each region has signature dishes that reflect cultural identity, local ingredients, and traditional wisdom. This article presents a list of typical dishes from 33 provinces in Indonesia — complete, concise, and ready to be your guide for a culinary journey across the archipelago😋!
List of Signature Dishes by Province in Indonesia
- Aceh: Aceh Noodles — Thick yellow noodles cooked in spicy curry with beef/lamb/seafood.
- North Sumatra: Bika Ambon — Spongy porous cake from Medan, with pandan and kaffir lime leaf aroma.
- West Sumatra: Rendang — Beef cooked in coconut milk & spices until dry and savory.
- Riau: Belacan Curry — Large prawns cooked in coconut milk & Riau-style shrimp paste.
- Riau Islands: Otak-Otak — Mackerel fish seasoned, wrapped in leaves, and grilled.
- Jambi: Patin Fish Curry — Patin fish cooked in coconut milk & tempoyak typical of Jambi.
- South Sumatra: Pempek — Fish and sago cake served with sweet-sour-spicy vinegar sauce from Palembang.
- Bengkulu: Pendap — Fish wrapped in taro leaves, cooked with Bengkulu spices.
- Lampung: Seruit — Grilled fish with tempoyak chili paste & fresh vegetables.
- Bangka Belitung: Bangka Noodles — Chinese-Malay style noodles with chicken & savory broth.
- Banten: Bandeng Satay — Boneless milkfish with sweet-spicy seasoning, grilled.
- DKI Jakarta: Kerak Telor — Betawi-style duck egg, sticky rice, dried shrimp & coconut flakes.
- West Java: Surabi — Rice flour & coconut milk pancakes with sweet or savory toppings.
- Central Java: Soto Kudus — Clear soup with shredded chicken & bean sprouts, typical of Kudus.
- Yogyakarta: Gudeg — Young jackfruit cooked in coconut milk, served with chicken & egg.
- East Java: Rawon — Dark beef soup made from keluak nuts.
- Bali: Bebek Betutu — Spiced duck roasted/wrapped in banana leaves.
- West Nusa Tenggara: Taliwang Chicken — Spicy chicken typical of Lombok.
- East Nusa Tenggara: Bose Corn — Soft boiled corn with coconut milk & peanuts.
- West Kalimantan: Spicy Porridge — Spiced vegetable porridge typical of West Kalimantan.
- Central Kalimantan: Juhu Singkah — Soup of young rattan shoots with river fish typical of Dayak cuisine.
- South Kalimantan: Banjar Soup — Clear chicken soup with fritters & vermicelli, typical of Banjar.
- East Kalimantan: Gance Ruan — Grilled snakehead fish with East Kalimantan chili sauce.
- North Kalimantan: Soft-Shell Crab — Young crab fried or cooked in Kaltara-style sauce.
- North Sulawesi: Tinutuan — Manado porridge with corn, sweet potato, vegetables & fish.
- Central Sulawesi: Palumara — Smoked fish soup with sour-spicy seasoning, typical of Palu.
- South Sulawesi: Coto Makassar — Thick peanut soup with offal & beef.
- Southeast Sulawesi: Lapa-Lapa — Coconut rice wrapped in banana leaves, typical of Southeast Sulawesi.
- Gorontalo: Binte Biluhuta — Sweet corn soup with shrimp & fish.
- Maluku: Smoked Fish — Smoked fish served with colo-colo chili sauce, typical of Maluku.
- North Maluku: Gohu Fish — Raw fish with lime & chili, sashimi typical of Ternate.
- Papua: Papeda — Sago porridge served with yellow tuna sauce.
- West Papua: Manokwari Grilled Fish — Spicy grilled fish with Manokwari chili sauce.
| No | Province | Signature Dish | Brief Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aceh | Aceh Noodles | Thick yellow noodles cooked with spicy curry and beef or seafood. |
| 2 | North Sumatra | Bika Ambon | Spongy porous cake, yellow color, pandan & kaffir lime aroma. |
| 3 | West Sumatra | Rendang | Beef cooked in coconut milk & spices until dry and savory. |
| 4 | Riau | Belacan Curry | Large prawns or fish with coconut milk & shrimp paste (belacan) typical of Riau. |
| 5 | Riau Islands | Otak-Otak | Mackerel or squid wrapped in coconut leaves, grilled with Malay seasoning. |
| 6 | Jambi | Patin Fish Curry | Patin fish cooked in coconut milk with tempoyak typical of Jambi. |
| 7 | South Sumatra | Pempek | Fish + sago cake served with vinegar sauce (sweet-sour-spicy). |
| 8 | Bengkulu | Pendap | Seasoned fish wrapped in taro leaves, steamed — typical of Bengkulu. |
| 9 | Lampung | Seruit | Grilled/fried fish with tempoyak chili paste & fresh vegetables. |
| 10 | Bangka Belitung | Bangka Noodles | Bangka noodles with chicken/fish toppings & savory broth. |
| 11 | Banten | Bandeng Satay | Boneless milkfish, grilled with sweet-savory seasoning. |
| 12 | DKI Jakarta | Kerak Telor | Duck egg, sticky rice, dried shrimp, coconut flakes — Betawi style. |
| 13 | West Java | Surabi | Rice flour & coconut milk pancake with sweet or savory toppings. |
| 14 | Central Java | Lumpia | Fried spring rolls typical of Semarang/Central Java. |
| 15 | Yogyakarta | Gudeg | Young jackfruit cooked in coconut milk, served with free-range chicken & egg. |
| 16 | East Java | Rujak Cingur | Mixture of cow’s snout, vegetables, peanut sauce — typical of Surabaya. |
| 17 | Bali | Ayam Betutu | Young free-range chicken with spices, wrapped in banana leaves & roasted. |
| 18 | West Nusa Tenggara | Taliwang Chicken | Young chicken grilled with dried chili & shallot paste. |
| 19 | East Nusa Tenggara | Catemak Corn | Soft boiled corn with coconut milk & peanuts typical of Flores. |
| 20 | West Kalimantan | Sambas Spicy Porridge | Spiced porridge with anchovies, long beans, fern leaves — typical of Sambas. |
| 21 | Central Kalimantan | Juhu Singkah | Soup of young rattan shoots with river fish & Dayak spices. |
| 22 | South Kalimantan | Banjar Soup | Clear chicken soup with fritters, vermicelli & Banjar spices. |
| 23 | East Kalimantan | Cincane Chicken | Free-range chicken seasoned with Cincane spices typical of East Kalimantan. |
| 24 | North Kalimantan | Soft-Shell Crab | Whole soft-shell crab, typical of North Kalimantan. |
| 25 | North Sulawesi | Tinutuan | Manado porridge with corn, sweet potato, vegetables, and fish. |
| 26 | Central Sulawesi | Banana Heart Fish Soup | Snapper soup with banana heart, sour-spicy typical of Central Sulawesi. |
| 27 | South Sulawesi | Konro Soup | Beef rib soup with dark spiced broth — typical of Makassar. |
| 28 | Southeast Sulawesi | Lapa-Lapa | Sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves, boiled in coconut milk — typical of Southeast Sulawesi. |
| 29 | Gorontalo | Binte Biluhuta | Sweet corn soup with shrimp & fish, savory-sweet flavor. |
| 30 | Maluku | Smoked Fish | Horizontally smoked fish — typical of Maluku. |
| 31 | North Maluku | Gohu Fish | Raw fish seasoned with lime & chili — sashimi typical of Ternate. |
| 32 | West Papua | Manokwari Grilled Fish | Spicy grilled fish with Manokwari chili sauce. |
| 33 | East Papua | Papeda | Soft sago porridge served with yellow fish broth typical of Papua. |
Tips for Enjoying Indonesian Cuisine
- Try it in its place of origin — flavors and local ingredients are more authentic.
- Use a local guide to find the best traditional eateries.
- Respect local dining culture, such as serving style or eating with hands.
- Explore new flavors because each province offers a unique culinary sensation.
From the spicy, tantalizing Aceh Noodles to the soft, comforting Papeda of Eastern Indonesia, Indonesian cuisine proves that flavor diversity is a national strength. The more we learn about regional food, the more we understand Indonesia’s rich culture and traditions.
“Taste is a universal language — and Indonesian cuisine is the most beautiful paragraph ever written by nature and culture of Indonesia.”
References
- https://www.detik.com
- https://www.haibunda.com
- https://www.liputan6.com
- https://repositori.kemendikdasmen.go.id
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