12 Indonesian Foods That Foreign Tourists Must Try

 Rendang Culinary Of Indonesia Image Shutterstock

Indonesian culinary is famous in various parts of the world. For foreign tourists who sometimes find it difficult to get used to Indonesian tastes, there are 12 culinary menus that must be tried when visiting Indonesia.

Launching from CNN, Tuesday (28/11/2022), the author of the book 'Flavours of Indonesia: William Wongso's Culinary Wonders', Willian Wongso, revealed that Indonesian culinary culture depends on the region of origin. As an archipelagic country, Indonesia has many cultures spread across 38 provinces.

"Indonesian food culture is based on regional cuisines among 17,500 islands, 38 provinces and 700 dialects," said William Wongso.

Indonesian flavors are very diverse. "From Aceh (the westernmost province of Indonesia) to West Sumatra (also a western province), it's only about a 1.5 hour flight, but their food profiles and tastes are very different," he said.

Even though he has been to auctions throughout Indonesia, William admits that he has not tasted all the local dishes. He said that each region has its own characteristics in cooking.

For example, chefs in Maluku on the eastern side of Indonesia prefer to use fresh spices such as cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Aceh often includes dried spices thanks to Indian, Arab and Chinese influences.

Padang (or Minangkabau) cuisine in West Sumatra makes extensive use of coconut milk, chilies, shallots and some curry spices, as well as ginger and galangal with aromatic spices such as turmeric leaves, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Javanese are experts in using three-colored spice pastes - red (made from chilies, shallots and garlic), white (candlenuts, shallots and garlic).

As an international media based in the USA, CNN also recommends typical Indonesian dishes or culinary delights that foreigners should try while on holiday to Indonesia.

1. Rendang

2. Tempeh

3. Satay

4. Fried rice

5. Crackers

6. Chicken soup

7. Gado-gado

8. Chili sauce

9. Indomie

10. Herbal medicine

11. Suckling pig

12. Rijsttafel

So, what do travelers think? Are there any other recommendations for culinary menus for foreign tourists?