5 COURSE LUNCH PLUS DESERT AND COFFEE
THE CLASS WILL TAKE PLACE IN A BEAUTIFUL LOCAL VILLA OF AN ARTIST IN SANUR.
Let us introduce you some Indonesian foods we can't live without
1. Sambal
While technically more of a condiment, the chili-based sauce known as sambal is a staple at all Indonesian tables. Dishes aren't complete unless they've a hearty dollop of the stuff, a combination of chilies, sharp fermented shrimp paste, tangy lime juice, sugar and salt all pounded up with mortar and pestle. So beloved is sambal, some restaurants have made it their main attraction, with options that include young mango, mushroom and durian. |
2. Satay
These tasty meat skewers cook up over coals so hot they need fans to waft the smoke away. Whether it's chicken, goat, mutton or rabbit, the scrappy morsels get marinated in turmeric, barbecued and then bathed in a hearty dose of peanut sauce. Other nations now lay claim to sate, but Indonesians consider it a national dish conceived by street vendors and popularized by Arab traders. Each vendor seeks distinction, but "sate madura" -- served with rice cakes (ketupat) and diced cucumber and onion -- is distinguished by its boat-shaped street carts. |
3. Nasi uduk
A perennial favorite among native Betawi, nasi uduk is rice cooked in coconut milk and includes a pinwheel of various meat and vegetable accoutrements. It almost always includes fried chicken, boiled eggs and tempe (soybean cake) with anchovies and is topped with emping (melinjo nut crackers). It's cheap, fast and popular among lunchtime crowds. Nearly four decades old and still going strong Nasi Uduk Babe Saman packs in everyone from students to celebrities morning, noon and night. |
4. Gudeg
Fit for a sultan it may not be, but gudeg is certainly the signature of the royal city of Yogyakarta.
The sweet jackfruit stew is boiled for hours in coconut milk and palm sugar, making the fruit so soft and tender it falls apart with little chewing.
Other spices are thrown into the mix but teak leaves give it a brown coloring.
Like nasi uduk, it's served with rice, boiled egg, chicken and crispy, fried beef skin.
5. Pecel lele
The sight of fried catfish may surprise first-time diners since it looks almost the same as it does living.
Served with rice and red and green sambal, this is simple street fare that fills the belly, which may be why it's a standout across Jakarta.
6. Gulai
Gulai is the common name for curry dishes, namely those from north Sumatra.
Indonesian curries have regional variations that depend on the types of meat and fish available -- though gulai almost always incorporates cinnamon. Opor and rendang can be considered gulais, but better to try out the rainbow of other options.
Pagi-Sore is a national franchise serves a tangy fish-head curry.
7. Bubur ayam
From blue-collar workers to government ministers, almost everyone starts their day with this rice gruel, a savory porridge served with soy sauce, fried shallots, shredded chicken, beans and crackers.
Outside Java variations can include corn, cassava and fish, while a sweeter version -- for those who prefer not to start their day with a blast of chili -- is made with mung beans.
8. Asinan sayur
When palates crave the opposite of Javanese sweetness, this pickled vegetable salad offers reprieve.
The secret is in the dressing, a thin peanut sauce swirled with palm sugar to offset the salty snap of preserved mustard leaf, carrot, cabbage and cucumber.
The krupuk cracker crunch comes from a yellow disc made with egg noodles.
Yaya has been serving up bowls of Asinan for 22 years outside the iconic Ragusa Ice Cream shop. He also makes a mean dried-squid salad called juhi.
9. Pepes Ikan
You can get your tuna out of a can -- or you can eat it the right way.
Pepes signifies the steaming of food in banana leaves, which gives it an earthy flavor that works well with the rich Manadonese spices (woku) it's coupled with.
When matched with tuna the result is a dense, fiery dish that holds its distinct flavors, but should be eaten gingerly.
Fit for a sultan it may not be, but gudeg is certainly the signature of the royal city of Yogyakarta.
The sweet jackfruit stew is boiled for hours in coconut milk and palm sugar, making the fruit so soft and tender it falls apart with little chewing.
Other spices are thrown into the mix but teak leaves give it a brown coloring.
Like nasi uduk, it's served with rice, boiled egg, chicken and crispy, fried beef skin.
5. Pecel lele
The sight of fried catfish may surprise first-time diners since it looks almost the same as it does living.
Served with rice and red and green sambal, this is simple street fare that fills the belly, which may be why it's a standout across Jakarta.
6. Gulai
Gulai is the common name for curry dishes, namely those from north Sumatra.
Indonesian curries have regional variations that depend on the types of meat and fish available -- though gulai almost always incorporates cinnamon. Opor and rendang can be considered gulais, but better to try out the rainbow of other options.
Pagi-Sore is a national franchise serves a tangy fish-head curry.
7. Bubur ayam
From blue-collar workers to government ministers, almost everyone starts their day with this rice gruel, a savory porridge served with soy sauce, fried shallots, shredded chicken, beans and crackers.
Outside Java variations can include corn, cassava and fish, while a sweeter version -- for those who prefer not to start their day with a blast of chili -- is made with mung beans.
8. Asinan sayur
When palates crave the opposite of Javanese sweetness, this pickled vegetable salad offers reprieve.
The secret is in the dressing, a thin peanut sauce swirled with palm sugar to offset the salty snap of preserved mustard leaf, carrot, cabbage and cucumber.
The krupuk cracker crunch comes from a yellow disc made with egg noodles.
Yaya has been serving up bowls of Asinan for 22 years outside the iconic Ragusa Ice Cream shop. He also makes a mean dried-squid salad called juhi.
9. Pepes Ikan
You can get your tuna out of a can -- or you can eat it the right way.
Pepes signifies the steaming of food in banana leaves, which gives it an earthy flavor that works well with the rich Manadonese spices (woku) it's coupled with.
When matched with tuna the result is a dense, fiery dish that holds its distinct flavors, but should be eaten gingerly.
Pepes Ikan is one of the specialities of Ibu Wayan!!! Delicious!!! learn to cook it !!!
Ayam Goreng is another one of her fantastic and tasty dishes that she can teach you to prepare !!!
10. Perkadel
So simple it's often overlooked, Perkadel's unassuming appearance belies its flavorful punch.
A distant relative of Dutch minced-meat frikandel, these croquettes are either potato based and filled with beef or made from corn (perkadel jagung).
In Bandung, crowds line up late night in seedy alleyways to snack on potato fritters made soft from frying in hot oil.
11. Sayur asem
This clear, refreshing soup derived from tamarind pairs well with fried food since it's stocked with vegetables and some of Indonesia's most interesting ingredients: melinjo, bilimbi, chayote.
A very close relative called sayur lodeh is made with coconut milk and has a sweeter flavor.
12. Sop buntut
Revitalized by the chef at Hotel Borabodor in 1973 after a food and beverage staffer saw a government minister eating a bowl on the street, oxtail soup is loved by Indonesians from all classes.
The high-end version -- now the domain of Indonesia's diplomatic corps -- uses imported Australian beef, 7,000 kilograms a month to be precise, and comes complete with steamed rice, pickles, lime and sambal. Its less pretentious outlet Sop Buntut Bogor Cafe is now in Pacific Place Mall.
13. Ketoprak
Not to be confused with the theatrical drama of the same name that re-enacts Javanese legends, this Ketoprak is made from vermicelli, tofu, packed rice cake and bean sprouts.
It rounds out the quintet of pestle-and-mortar-based dishes that include gado-gado and pecel, and is a simple street dish that tastes mostly of peanuts and spice but is chockfull of carbohydrates.
14. Rendang
Perhaps Padang's most famed curry, rendang is not an everyday food since it takes time and skill to make.
Its secret is in the gravy, which wraps around the beef for hours until, ideally, it's splendidly tender.
A dried version, which can be kept for months (like jerky) is reserved for honored guests and important celebrations.
15. Ikan Bakar
The best things in life are the simplest.
Grilled fish, plain and simple. But in a country with more than 17,000 islands, fish is bound to feature prominently.
While squid and prawns have a place in Indonesian cuisine, ikan bakar gets a far better showing for a fleshy texture that is great for dipping.
It is usually marinated in the typical trove of spices and served with a soy and chili-based sauce.
So simple it's often overlooked, Perkadel's unassuming appearance belies its flavorful punch.
A distant relative of Dutch minced-meat frikandel, these croquettes are either potato based and filled with beef or made from corn (perkadel jagung).
In Bandung, crowds line up late night in seedy alleyways to snack on potato fritters made soft from frying in hot oil.
11. Sayur asem
This clear, refreshing soup derived from tamarind pairs well with fried food since it's stocked with vegetables and some of Indonesia's most interesting ingredients: melinjo, bilimbi, chayote.
A very close relative called sayur lodeh is made with coconut milk and has a sweeter flavor.
12. Sop buntut
Revitalized by the chef at Hotel Borabodor in 1973 after a food and beverage staffer saw a government minister eating a bowl on the street, oxtail soup is loved by Indonesians from all classes.
The high-end version -- now the domain of Indonesia's diplomatic corps -- uses imported Australian beef, 7,000 kilograms a month to be precise, and comes complete with steamed rice, pickles, lime and sambal. Its less pretentious outlet Sop Buntut Bogor Cafe is now in Pacific Place Mall.
13. Ketoprak
Not to be confused with the theatrical drama of the same name that re-enacts Javanese legends, this Ketoprak is made from vermicelli, tofu, packed rice cake and bean sprouts.
It rounds out the quintet of pestle-and-mortar-based dishes that include gado-gado and pecel, and is a simple street dish that tastes mostly of peanuts and spice but is chockfull of carbohydrates.
14. Rendang
Perhaps Padang's most famed curry, rendang is not an everyday food since it takes time and skill to make.
Its secret is in the gravy, which wraps around the beef for hours until, ideally, it's splendidly tender.
A dried version, which can be kept for months (like jerky) is reserved for honored guests and important celebrations.
15. Ikan Bakar
The best things in life are the simplest.
Grilled fish, plain and simple. But in a country with more than 17,000 islands, fish is bound to feature prominently.
While squid and prawns have a place in Indonesian cuisine, ikan bakar gets a far better showing for a fleshy texture that is great for dipping.
It is usually marinated in the typical trove of spices and served with a soy and chili-based sauce.