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Thali

🇮🇩 The food of Indonesia

115 dishes from Indonesia, best known first, across 54 cities and regions.

Indonesian cooking brings together a huge range of local traditions from thousands of islands, shaped by centuries of trade and migration. Meals are built around rice, with bold spice blends, chili heat, and a mix of sweet, sour, and savory flavors. Dishes and techniques vary widely by region, reflecting both indigenous roots and outside influences.

  • Indonesia has over 5,000 traditional recipes.
  • Sambal chili sauce is a staple at every table.
  • Tempeh, a fermented soybean cake, was invented in Java.
  • Tumpeng, a cone-shaped rice dish, is the official national dish.
  • Meals are usually eaten with a spoon and fork, not knives.

The cooking of Indonesia

Indonesian food is shaped by its geography and history. With over 600 ethnic groups across thousands of islands, each region has developed its own cooking style. Indian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, and European traders brought new ingredients and methods, which blended with local traditions. Spices like cloves and nutmeg, once prized worldwide, are native here. Meals often feature complex spice pastes, chili heat, and a balance of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Common ways of cooking include frying, grilling, sautéing, boiling, and steaming. Dishes such as nasi goreng (fried rice), satay (skewered grilled meat), and soto (aromatic soup) are found everywhere, while each area has its own specialties.

Staple foods in Indonesia

Rice is central to Indonesian meals and culture, eaten daily in many forms. It can be served plain, cooked in coconut milk, or steamed in woven palm leaves. Soy-based foods like tofu and tempeh (a fermented soybean cake from Java) are common. Vegetables, fish, and meat are frequent sides, and sambal, a spicy chili sauce, is nearly always present. Noodles and soups also appear often, reflecting Chinese influence.

From region to region in Indonesia

Food changes noticeably from island to island. Sumatran cooking uses more Indian and Middle Eastern spices, with dishes like rich curries and gulai (spiced stews). Javanese food is mostly native, with some Chinese touches, and tends to be sweeter. In eastern Indonesia, meals resemble those of Polynesia and Melanesia, with more root vegetables and less rice. Some inland groups, like the Bataks and Dayaks, keep older traditions, including pork and wild meats, while coastal areas often follow Muslim dietary rules.

At the table in Indonesia

A typical meal centers on steamed rice, with several shared dishes of vegetables, meat, or fish. Everyone helps themselves, placing food from communal plates onto their own. Mixing dishes on the plate is normal. Meals are usually eaten with a spoon and fork, as knives are not used at the table. In some regions, eating with bare hands is common, and a bowl of scented water is provided for washing. Chopsticks are used mainly for Chinese-style noodle dishes.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Indonesian cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Indonesia

Java 17Sumatra 8West Sumatra 7Jakarta 6Padang 6Bandung 5Surabaya 5Bali 4Medan 3Palembang 3Sulawesi 3Bogor 2Borneo 2East Java 2Gianyar 2Lampung 2North Sulawesi 2North Sumatra 2Semarang 2Solo 2South Sulawesi 2West Java 2Wonogiri 2Yogyakarta 2Aceh 1Ambarawa 1Bagansiapiapi 1Bandar Lampung 1Bangka 1Bangka Belitung Islands 1Bangka Island 1Batavia 1Bengkalis 1Bukittinggi 1Central Java 1Cirebon 1Jambi 1Kampung Tugu 1Kebon Kacang 1Kerinci Regency 1Malang 1Manado 1Natuna 1North Maluku 1Padang Panjang 1Padang Pariaman 1Pariaman 1Payakumbuh 1Pemalang 1Rembang 1Riau 1Sidoarjo 1South Sumatra 1West Kalimantan 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Biryani 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreRice and spiced meat or vegetables layered and cooked together Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Naanनान 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreLeavened flatbread baked in a tandoor or on a pan, soft and spotted with golden brown Bread, Lunch, Dinner BreadfruitVegan 🇵🇭 Philippines and 4 moreLarge tropical fruit cooked as a starchy staple in many island cuisines Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Iced teaVegan 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreChilled tea served over ice, sometimes sweetened or flavored with fruit Drink, Lunch, Dinner Fried rice 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreCooked rice stir-fried with eggs, vegetables, meat or seafood, and seasonings Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Satayꦱꦠꦺ 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreGrilled skewers of seasoned meat or seafood, often served with peanut sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Nasi goreng 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreSoutheast Asian fried rice seasoned with sweet soy sauce and spices Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Spring roll春卷 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA thin wrapper rolled around vegetables or meat, served fried or fresh Main dish, Snacks, Lunch RendangMeatRandang 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreMeat simmered with coconut and spices until coated in a rich, dry sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Gado-gado 🇮🇩 IndonesiaVegetables, tofu and rice cake in a rich Indonesian peanut sauce Salad or side, Lunch, Dinner Wonton云吞 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese dumplings with a thin wrapper, filled and served in soup or fried Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner Chow mein炒麵 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreStir-fried noodles with vegetables and often meat or tofu Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Korma 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreA rich curry of meat or vegetables simmered in yogurt and spices Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Laksaلقسا / 叻沙 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreSpicy Southeast Asian noodle soup with coconut or sour broth Soup, Breakfast, Lunch KetupatVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreRice packed in woven palm leaf pouches and boiled until firm Main dish, Lunch, Dinner LemangVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreGlutinous rice cooked with coconut milk in bamboo tubes lined with banana leaves Main dish, Lunch, Dinner RawonMeatꦫꦮꦺꦴꦤ꧀ 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreJavanese beef soup made dark with keluak nut Soup, Lunch, Dinner MurtabakMeatمُطَبَّق 🇾🇪 Yemen and 5 moreA stuffed, folded pancake or flatbread with savoury or sweet fillings Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Chicken feetMeat 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChicken feet cooked and eaten in soups, stews, snacks and street foods worldwide Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Bakso 🇮🇩 IndonesiaIndonesian meatballs served in broth with noodles and toppings Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Bak kut tehMeat肉骨茶 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 morePork ribs in a spiced herbal broth, served with fried dough and condiments Soup, Breakfast, Lunch Lumpia 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreThin spring rolls with savory or sweet fillings, fried or fresh Street food, Lunch, Dinner Shumai烧卖 / 燒賣 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese dumplings filled with seasoned meat, often served as dim sum Dumpling, Breakfast, Lunch LontongVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreCylindrical rice cake wrapped in banana leaf, served with sauces or soups Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Misua麵線 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreVery thin wheat noodles common in China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Soto 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreIndonesian soup of spiced broth, meat and vegetables with many regional versions Soup, Lunch, Dinner Tumpengꦠꦸꦩ꧀ꦥꦼꦁ 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreCone-shaped rice surrounded by assorted Indonesian side dishes Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Rissole 🇫🇷 France and 5 morePastry or breadcrumbed parcels with savoury or sweet fillings, fried or baked Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Lunch Gulai 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreSpiced Southeast Asian stew with coconut milk and a blend of local herbs Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Nasi udukꦤꦱꦶ​ꦮꦸꦢꦸꦏ꧀ 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreSteamed coconut rice with spices, served with assorted side dishes Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Gudeg 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreYoung jackfruit slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices, a specialty of Yogyakarta Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Salted duck egg 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreDuck eggs preserved in salt, prized for their rich, orange-red yolks Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch Asam pedasاسم ڤدس 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreA sour and spicy fish stew from maritime Southeast Asia Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Hokkien meeMeat福建面 🇸🇬 Singapore and 2 moreEgg and rice noodles with pork, seafood and broth, popular in Singapore and Malaysia Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Nasi kuningVegetarian 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreRice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric, served for celebrations across Indonesia Rice dish, Breakfast, Lunch Oxtail soupMeat 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreSoup made by simmering oxtail with vegetables and spices Soup, Lunch, Dinner Mie goreng 🇮🇩 IndonesiaIndonesian stir-fried noodles with sweet soy sauce, egg, and vegetables Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Serundengꦱꦿꦸꦤ꧀ꦢꦺꦁ 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreSpiced grated coconut, toasted and used as a topping or side in Indonesian dishes Main dish, Lunch, Dinner KetoprakVegetarian 🇮🇩 IndonesiaJakarta street food of tofu, rice cake, noodles and vegetables in peanut sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Wonton noodlesMeat雲吞麵 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreEgg noodles in broth with wonton dumplings, from Cantonese cooking Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Tharidثريد 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and 5 moreFlatbread soaked in broth or stew, a staple of Arab cooking Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Yong tau foo釀豆腐 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreTofu or vegetables stuffed with meat or fish paste, served in soup or with sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Perkedelꦧꦼꦒꦼꦢꦶꦭ꧀ 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreIndonesian-Javanese fritters made from mashed potato or other vegetables Street food, Lunch, Dinner PempekFish or seafood 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreFish and tapioca cakes from Palembang, served with a sweet-sour spicy sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Ayam popMeat 🇮🇩 IndonesiaMinangkabau-style fried chicken with a pale, tender finish Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Nasi padang 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreSteamed rice with a spread of spicy Minangkabau dishes from West Sumatra Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Ayam bakarMeat 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreChicken marinated in spices and grilled over charcoal Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Curry mee 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 2 moreMalaysian noodle soup with coconut milk and curry spices Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner
More dishes

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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