Indonesian Dishes

Sate Lilit

A Balinese satay made by wrapping seasoned minced meat (typically fish, chicken, or pork) around lemongrass stalks or bamboo skewers, then grilling over coals. The spice mixture includes coconut, kaffir lime leaves, and shallots.

Sate Madura

A renowned satay variety from Madura island, East Java. Chicken or goat meat is marinated in a sweet soy-based sauce, grilled on charcoal, and served with a rich peanut sauce, lontong rice cakes, and pickled shallots.

Sate Padang

A distinctive satay from Padang, West Sumatra, known for its thick, spicy curry-based sauce rather than the typical peanut sauce. Skewered beef, offal, or tongue is grilled and served drenched in a rich, aromatic yellow curry gravy.

Sate Ponorogo

A regional satay from Ponorogo, East Java, with distinctively broad, flat chicken slices (not cubes) on skewers. The meat absorbs the marinade deeply through its larger surface area. Served with a rich peanut sauce specific to the Ponorogo style.

Sate Udang

Indonesian grilled shrimp skewers, marinated in a mixture of spices and grilled over hot coals for a slight char while remaining juicy. Served with sambal, kecap manis, or peanut sauce, often at seafood restaurants and street stalls.

Sayur Asem

A refreshing sweet-and-sour Indonesian vegetable soup flavored with tamarind. Common vegetables include corn, chayote, long beans, melinjo leaves, and peanuts, simmered in a light tamarind broth. A popular everyday dish in Javanese and Sundanese cuisine.

Sayur Lodeh

A Javanese coconut milk vegetable stew featuring a mix of vegetables such as chayote, long beans, cabbage, eggplant, and tofu simmered in a lightly spiced coconut broth. A comforting everyday dish served over rice.

Selat Solo

A Central Javanese dish combining Dutch colonial bistik influence with local Javanese flavors. Tender beef is slow-cooked in a sweet, aromatic sauce and served with blanched vegetables, fried potato, hard-boiled egg, and pickled cucumber.

Semur Daging

An Indonesian braised beef stew with Dutch colonial roots. Beef chunks are slow-cooked in kecap manis with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper, creating a sweet, dark, mellow sauce. The name comes from the Dutch word smoor (to braise).

Serabi

Traditional small Indonesian pancakes from Java, made with rice flour and coconut milk. Cooked in a special clay mold, they come in sweet and savory versions with toppings like palm sugar syrup, banana, chocolate, or fermented oncom.

Siomay

Indonesian steamed fish dumplings derived from Chinese shumai. Cone-shaped fish dumplings are steamed alongside potato, cabbage, egg, tofu, and bitter melon, then cut up and drizzled generously with spicy peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce.

Sop Buntut

Indonesian oxtail soup, a popular comfort dish. Oxtail pieces are simmered for hours until tender in a clear, aromatic broth with carrots, potatoes, tomato, and nutmeg. Often served with fried shallots and sambal on the side.

Soto Ayam

Indonesia's most popular soto variety, a fragrant turmeric-yellow chicken soup. Shredded chicken is served in a spiced broth with rice cakes, vermicelli, boiled egg, and fried shallots, with sambal on the side.

Soto Betawi

A hearty beef and offal soup from Jakarta's Betawi people. Chunks of beef are simmered in a rich coconut milk broth spiced with lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves, served with emping crackers.

Soto Lamongan

A chicken soto from Lamongan, East Java, distinguished by its golden broth and koya topping — a crumbly mixture of crushed prawn crackers and fried garlic that adds salty umami crunch to each bowl.

Soto Padang

A beef soto from Padang, West Sumatra. Features a clear, spiced broth with beef, glass noodles, potato fritters (perkedel), and fried shallots. Distinguished by its complex spice paste with garlic, coriander, turmeric, and ginger.

Soto Tangkar

A traditional Betawi soto made with beef ribs (tangkar). The ribs are simmered in a coconut milk-enriched broth with turmeric, lemongrass, and other spices. A hearty, rich soup from Jakarta's Betawi culinary tradition.

Tahu Goreng

Indonesian deep-fried tofu, a ubiquitous side dish and snack. Firm tofu is deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside while remaining soft inside. Often served with sweet soy sauce, peanut sauce, or sambal. Sumedang is famous for its version.

Tempe Goreng

Indonesian fried tempeh, a staple across Java and beyond. Sliced tempeh is marinated in garlic, shallots, coriander, turmeric, and salt, sometimes infused with kaffir lime leaves, then deep-fried until golden and crispy.

Tempe Orek

An Indonesian stir-fry of tempeh cubes fried until golden then tossed in a caramelized kecap manis sauce with garlic, shallots, and chilies. Sometimes enhanced with bay leaves, galangal, or tamarind for added complexity.

Tempeh Mendoan

Tempe Mendoan

A lightly fried tempeh variety from Purwokerto, Central Java. Thin slices of tempeh are dipped in batter with coriander, scallions, and garlic, then briefly deep-fried so the outside is crispy while the inside stays soft. Best served with sambal.

Tumis Kangkung

A quintessential Indonesian stir-fry of water spinach (kangkung), cooked quickly over high heat with garlic, shallots, bird's eye chilies, and fermented shrimp paste (terasi). A pungent, spicy, and slightly sweet everyday side dish.

Tumpeng

A ceremonial cone-shaped rice dish from Javanese cuisine, symbolizing gratitude and celebration. Yellow turmeric rice is molded into a cone and surrounded by various side dishes including fried chicken, egg, tempeh, vegetables, and sambal.

Wajik

A traditional Javanese sticky rice cake. Glutinous rice is cooked with coconut milk and palm sugar until sticky and caramelized, then pressed and cut into diamond or rectangular shapes. A chewy, sweet confection often served at celebrations.