Tinutuan

Tinutuan or bubur manado or Manadonese porridge is a rice porridge mixed with various vegetables such as spinach, kangkung, corn, pumpkin and sweet potato or cassava.Tinutuan is from Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.According to others, it is from Minahasa, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The etymology of the word tinutuan is unknown.The exact date when tinutuan was invented is also uncertain. Some sources say it has been popular since 1970, while others date its invention as late as 1981. The local government of Manado made tinutuan an official icon of the Manado city. Tinutuan is usually served as breakfast, with many additional foods, such as salted fish, sambal, fried onion, as seen on the picture. At its place of origin, Manado, tinutuan usually served with smoked skipjack tuna, shrimp paste or smoked garfish sambal, or meatballs.

Rawon

Rawon or Nasi Rawon/Rawon Rice (when served with rice) is a strong rich tasting traditional Indonesian beef black soup. Originally from Surabaya in Indonesian province of East Java. It uses black nuts/keluak (Pangeum edule, fruits of kepayang tree) as the main spice which gives the strong nutty flavor and dark color to the soup.

The soup is made of ground mixture of garlic, shallot, keluak, ginger, candlenut, turmeric, red chili and salt sauteed with oil until it gets aromatic. The sauteed mixture is then poured into boiled beef stock with diced beef. Lemongrass, galangal, bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves and sugar are then added as seasonings. The special dark/black color of rawon comes from the keluak as the main spice. The soup is usually garnished with green onion and fried shallot, and served with rice, hence the name Rawon Rice or Nasi Rawon in Indonesian language, together with baby bean sprouts, salted preserved egg, shrimp crackers and sambal chili sauce on the side.

Pictured here is Rawon Setan (Devil's Rawon), a popular rawon dish from Surabaya. The reason behind this nickname is because the warung (stall) that sells this rawon dish is open from midnight to dawn just like the time when they say devils come out. The Rawon Setan stall, is quite popular in Surabaya.

Pempek

Pempek, mpek-mpek or empek-empek is a savoury fishcake delicacy from Palembang, Indonesia, made of fish and tapioca. Pempek is served with yellow noodles and a dark, rich sweet and sour sauce called kuah cuka or kuah cuko (lit. vinegar sauce), or "cuko"

Origin
Pempek is the best-known of Palembang's dishes. Its origin is undoubtly Palembang, however the history behind the creation of this savoury dish is unclear. According to local tradition, around the 16th century there was an old Chinese immigrant who lived near the Musi river. He noticed an abundance of fish caught by the local fishermen. In the Sumatran tropical climate, before the invention of refrigeration technology, most of these unsold leftover fish decayed and were wasted. The indigenous people, however had limited knowledge and techniques for processing fish. During that period, most of the indigenous people simply grilled, fried or boiled their fish instead of adding other ingredients to make new dishes. The old Chinese man mixed in some tapioca and other spices, which he then sold around the village on his cart. The people referred to this old man as 'pek-apek, where apek is a Chinese slang word to call an old man. The food is known today as empek-empek or pempek.

Another theory suggests that pempek was a Palembang adaptation of Southern Chinese ngo hiang or kekkian (fish slice) as a surimi (魚漿, yújiāng) based food. But instead of being served in soup or plainly fried, pempek is notable for its spicy palm sugar-vinegar based sauce.


>> Ingredients
> Dough
Pempek dough is made from a mixture of boneless ground fish meat, most commonly tenggiri (wahoo), with water, salt and tapioca. Ikan gabus (snakehead) is also commonly made as pempek. Numerous pempek sellers and producers in Palembang use a cheap combination of fish, which has a strong scent. According to tradition, the best tasting pempek are made of belida or belido (Chitala lopis), but due to its rarity and superior taste, pempek made from this fish are usually more expensive. Pempek in Bangka Island are made from mackerel (ikan kembung) and its sauce is red chilli based, while in Jakarta or other cities they could be made from gourami fish. The latest variant is pempek udang, pempek made of minced shrimp originated from Sungsang area in Banyuasin near the Musi river estuary,it is noticeable with its pinkish color.

The dough is boiled in hot water or steamed until hardened as partly cooked dumplings, and stored to be fried later just before serving.

> Sauce
Kuah cuko is produced by adding palm sugar, chili pepper, garlic, vinegar, and salt to boiling water. The color of this sauce is dark brown. This sweet, sour and spicy sauce is essential for flavouring the pempek, since the pempek dough is very mildly savoury. The sauce of Bangka pempek is chili based, made from the mixture of ground red chili and vinegar and its color is bright red. Traditionally all pempek sauces are served hot and spicy, the ground chilies are mixed in the sauce. However since some people desire unspicy sauce, or cannot eat hot and spicy sauce, the ground chillis were often separated as sambals. In some pempek restaurants, the bottled kuah cuko sauce is left on customers' tables and they are welcome to pour on the amount of sauce they desire. There are two kind of sauces available, spicy hot and plain.

> Serving
The boiled or steamed pempek dumplings are deep-fried in cooking oil until light pale brown right before serving. They are cut in bite-size, served with yellow noodles or rice vermicelli, showered in kuah cuko, and sprinkled with chopped cucumber and ebi (ground dried shrimp) powder. The additional fish krupuk crackers might be offered.


> Variants
This fishcake dough can be made into various shapes and forms with additional ingredients. Just like pasta the shapes have their own distinctive names, although all are made from the same dough. There are many varieties of pempek, pempek variants are:


Pempek kapal selam: (Indonesian: submarine pempek), which is made from a chicken egg wrapped within the pempek dough and then deep-fried. The shape is similar to Chinese dumplings but larger in size. According to food science and technology scientist, the pempek kapal selam, with egg addition, is rich in protein, fat, vitamin a, mineral, and carbohydrate content, is the most nutritious variety. The name derived from the shape of pempek that resembles submersible midget submarine.
Pempek telur kecil: (Indonesian: small egg pempek), filled with egg similar to pempek kapal selam, but smaller in size.
Pempek lenjer: long cylindrical pempek, its shape is similar to sausages.
Pempek keriting: (Indonesian: curly pempek), the dough is made into small noodle ball. This similar process also applied to produce white krupuk.
Pempek pistel: the shape and size is similar to pempek telur kecil, but filled with minced young papaya instead.
Pempek kulit: (Indonesian: skin pempek), fish-skin pempek, the dough is mixed with minced fish skin, as the result it has stronger fishy aroma and darker color.
Pempek adaan: ball shaped pempek.
Pempek tahu: tofu sliced and filled with pempek dough.
Pempek model (Model Iwak): tofu wrapped inside pempek dough. Similar to pempek kapal selam, but egg is replaced with tofu.
Most of those pempek in various forms are deep fried in cooking oil until light pale brown, and served with yellow noodles or rice vermicelli and kuah cuko, sprinkled with chopped cucumber and ebi (ground dried shrimp) powder.

The pempek fishcake can be used as a base ingredient of other dishes. The unfried cylindrical pempek lenjer is often cut and added as a mixture to the following dishes:

Celimpungan: small pempek balls cooked in spicy coconut milk, served with chilli and sprinkled with bawang goreng (fried shallots).
Laksan: often referred to as Palembang style pempek in laksa soup, sliced pempek fishcake served in coconut milk based soup.
Lenggang: omelette with mixture of sliced pempek fishcake, also served in kuah cuko.
Tekwan: chopped pempek fishcake soup with jicama, mushroom and fishballs.

Outlets
As a local specialty, pempek can be commonly found on every street in Palembang with a concentration of outlets in downtown Palembang. Pempek can also be found in other regions, especially in major cities in Indonesia. However, the taste of pempek in other regions are usually different to pempek from Palembang. The main ingredients such as fish and flour are scarce and/or difficult to find in other regions, causing the difference in taste.

Pempek is easy to find in Jakarta and other Indonesian cities, from the food-courts in malls and shopping centers to traveling pempek vendors on cart. The cheaper pempek version sold by traveling vendors on cart generally use less fish and more tapioca, resulting a more flavorless taste. Pempek is also a popular dish in South Sumatra's neighboring province capital city Bandar Lampung. Some pempek establishments, such as Pempek Pak Raden and Pempek Bunga Mas are opening branches all over major foodcourts. In Jakarta, the notable pempek outlets are Pempek Megaria in Metropole cinema complex, Central Jakarta. It is among the oldest pempek establishment in the city. Other pempek outlets are those in Pasar Minggu market, South Jakarta. In Yogyakarta one of leading pempek establishment in the city is Pempek Ny. Kamto located near Malioboro street.

Outside Indonesia, pempek establishments can be found in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. As Palembang is located quite not far from Singapore and Malaysia, to ensure the authenticity, some pempek establishments import boiled unfried frozen pempek dumplings in vacuum packages straight from Palembang. These ready to cook pempek dumplings are also popularly sold in Palembang as oleh-oleh foodstuff gifts or souvenirs for visitors from other Indonesian cities.

>> See also
Kemplang

Surimi

Gudeg

Gudeg is a traditional Javanese cuisine from Yogyakarta and Central Java, Indonesia. Gudeg is made from young unripe jack fruit (Javanese: gori, Indonesian: nangka muda) boiled for several hours with palm sugar, and coconut milk. Additional spices include garlic, shallot, candlenut, coriander seed, galangal, bay leaves, and teak leaves, the latter giving a reddish brown color to the dish.It is often described as "green jack fruit sweet stew"

>> Serving
Served solely, gudeg can be considered as a vegetarian food, since it only consists of unripe jackfruit and coconut milk. However, gudeg is commonly served with egg or chicken. Gudeg is served with white steamed rice, chicken either as opor ayam (chicken in coconut milk) or ayam goreng (fried chicken), telur pindang, opor telur or just plain hard-boiled egg, tofu and/or tempeh, and sambel goreng krechek a stew made of crisp beef skins.

>> Variations
There are several types of gudeg; dry, wet, Yogyakarta style, Solo style and East Javanese style. Dry gudeg has only a bit of coconut milk and thus has little sauce. Wet gudeg includes more coconut milk. The most common gudeg comes from Yogyakarta, and is usually sweeter, drier and reddish in color because of the addition of teak leaves as coloring agent. Solo gudeg from the city of Surakarta is more watery and soupy, with lots of coconut milk, and is whitish in color because teak leaves are generally not added. Yogyakarta's gudeg is usually called "red gudeg", while Solo's gudeg is also called "white gudeg". The East-Javanese style of gudeg has a spicier and hotter taste compared to the Yogyakarta style gudeg, which is sweeter.

Gudeg is traditionally associated with Yogyakarta, and Yogyakarta is sometimes nicknamed "Kota Gudeg" (city of gudeg). The center of Yogyakarta gudeg restaurants is in the Wijilan area to the east side of the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan's palace).

Gudeg can be packed into a besek (box made from bamboo), kendil (clay jar), or can.

Today, warung and restaurants serving gudeg can be found throughout Indonesian cities, such as Greater Jakarta. It is a popular dish in Javanese restaurants, and can be found in neighboring countries, such as Singapore.

Rendang

Rendang is a spicy meat dish which originated from the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia,and is now commonly served across the country.One of the characteristic foods of Minangkabau culture, it is served at ceremonial occasions and to honour guests.Rendang is also served among the Malay community in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Southern Philippines. Rendang is traditionally prepared by the Minangkabau community during festive occasions such as traditional ceremonies, wedding feasts and Hari Raya (Eid al-Fitr). Culinary experts often describe rendang as: ‘West Sumatran caramelised beef curry’. In 2011 an online poll by 35,000 people held by CNN International chose rendang as the number one dish of their ‘World's 50 Most Delicious Foods (Readers' Pick)’ list

>>Composition and cooking method
The cooking technique flourished because of its role in preserving meat in a tropical climate.Prior to refrigeration technology, this style of cooking enabled preservation of the large amount of meat. Rendang is rich in spices. Along with the main meat ingredient, rendang uses coconut milk (Minangkabau: karambia) and a paste of mixed ground spices, which includes ginger, galangal, turmeric leaves, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, chilli and other spices. This spice mixture is called ‘pemasak’ in Minangkabau. The spices, garlic, shallot, ginger and galangal used in rendang have antimicrobial properties and serve as natural organic preservatives. If cooked properly, dry rendang can last for as long as four weeks.

Traditionally the term rendang in Minangkabau language is not referring to a certain type of dish. The verb merendang is actually refer to a cooking method of slow cooking; continuously churning the ingredients in a pot or frying pan, on a small fire, well until all of the liquids evaporates and the meat is well done. Traditional Padang rendang takes hours to cook. Cooking rendang involves pounding and grinding ingredients as well as slow cooking, and so is time-consuming and requires patience.The meat pieces are slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices until almost all the liquid is gone, allowing the meat to absorb the condiments. The cooking process changes from boiling to frying as the liquid evaporates. The slow cooking process allows the meat to absorb all the spices and become tender. To cook the meat until tender with almost all the liquid evaporated requires great care, if the meat is not to be burnt or be spoilt. Because of its generous use of numerous spices, rendang is known for having a complex and unique taste.

Rendang is often served with steamed rice, ketupat (a compressed rice cake) or lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo tubes), accompanied with vegetable side dishes such as boiled cassava leaf, cubadak(young jackfruit gulai), cabbage gulai and lado (red or green chilli pepper sambal).

>> Cultural significance
Rendang is revered in Minangkabau culture as an embodiment of the philosophy of musyawarah, discussion and consultation with elders.It has been claimed that the four main ingredients represent Minangkabau society as a whole:

The meat (dagiang) symbolises the Niniak Mamak, the traditional clan leaders such as the datuk, the nobles, royalty and revered elders.
The coconut milk (karambia) symbolises the Cadiak Pandai, intellectuals, teachers, poets and writers.
The chilli (lado) symbolises the Alim Ulama, clerics, ulama and religious leaders. The hotness of the chilli symbolises Sharia.
The spice mixture (pemasak) symbolises the rest of Minangkabau society.
In Minangkabau tradition, rendang is a requisite dish for special occasions in traditional Minang ceremonies, from birth ceremonies to circumcision, marriage, Qur'an recitals, and religious festivals such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

>> History
Rendang originates from the Sumatran Minangkabau region. One of the earliest written records of rendang is from the early 16th century Hikayat Amir Hamzah. The making of rendang spreads from Minangkabau region to Mandailing, Riau, Jambi, across the strait to Malacca and Negeri Sembilan, resulting in a variety of rendang traditions.

The popularity of rendang has spread widely from its original domain because of the merantau (migrating) culture of Minangkabau people. Overseas Minangkabau leave their home town to start a career in other Indonesian cities as well as neighbouring countries, and Padang restaurants, Minangkabau eating establishments that are ubiquitous in Indonesian cities, spring up. These Padang restaurants have introduced and popularised rendang and other Padang food dishes across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the wider world.

Andalas University historian, Prof. Gusti Asnan suggests that rendang began to spread across the region when Minangkabau merchants and migrant workers began to trade and migrate to Malacca in the 16th century. ‘Because the journey through the river waterways in Sumatra took much time, a durable preserved dry rendang is suitable for long journey.’ The dried Padang rendang is a durable food, good to consume for weeks, even when left at room temperature.

> Types

In Minangkabau culinary tradition, there are three recognised stages in cooking meat in spicy coconut milk. The dish which results is categorised according to the liquid content of the cooked coconut milk, which ranges from the most wet and soupy to the most dry: Gulai — Kalio — Rendang.The ingredients of gulai, kalio and rendang are almost identical with the exceptions that gulai usually has less red chilli pepper and more turmeric, while rendang has richer spices.

If pieces of meat are cooked in spicy coconut milk and the process stopped right when the meat is done and the coconut milk has reached its boiling point, the dish is called ‘gulai’. If the process continues until the coconut milk is partly evaporated and the meat has started to brown, the dish is called ‘kalio’. For a traditional dry rendang, the process continues hours beyond this, until the liquid has all but completely evaporated and the colour turns to a dark brown, almost black colour. Thus not only liquid content but also colour indicate which type of rendang is involved: gulai is light yellow, kalio is brown and rendang is very dark brown. Today, one mostly finds only two simpler categories of rendang: either dry or wet.

> Dried rendang

According to Minangkabau tradition, their true rendang is the dry one. Rendang is diligently stirred, attended and cooked for hours until the coconut milk evaporated and the meat absorbed the spices. It is still served for special ceremonial occasions or to honour guests. If cooked properly, dried rendang can last for three to four weeks stored in room temperature and still good to consume. It can even last months stored in a refrigerator, and up to six months if frozen.

> Wet rendang or kalio

Wet rendang, more accurately identified as ‘kalio’, is a type of rendang that is cooked for a shorter period of time and much of the coconut milk liquid has not evaporated. If stored at room temperature, kalio lasts less than a week. Kalio usually has a light golden brown colour, paler than dry rendang.

Outside of its native land in Minangkabau, rendang is also known in neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. Most Malaysian rendang is more like kalio, lighter in colour and taste when compared with its Minangkabau counterpart. Malaysian rendang has several variants, such as Kelantan rendang and Negeri Sembilan rendang. Malaysian styles of rendang are typically cooked for shorter periods, and use kerisik (toasted grated coconut) to thicken the spice,instead of stirring over a low heat for many hours to evaporate the coconut milk as Indonesian rendang requires. Nonetheless, in Malaysia the rendang Tok variant, found in the state of Perak, is a dry one.

Other ethnic groups in Indonesia also have adopted a version of rendang into their daily diet. For example, in Java, other than Padang rendang sold in Padang restaurants, the Javanese cooked a wet rendang, slightly sweeter and less spicy to accommodate Javanese tastes. Through colonial ties the Dutch are also familiar with rendang and often serve the wet kalio version in the Netherlands — usually as part of a rijsttafel.

>> Variations

Rendang is made from beef (or occasionally beef liver, chicken, mutton, water buffalo, duck, or vegetables like jackfruit or cassava). Chicken or duck rendang also contains tamarind and is usually not cooked for as long as beef rendang.

The original Indonesian-Minangkabau rendang has two categories, rendang darek and rendang pesisir. Rendang darek (‘land rendang’) is an umbrella term for dishes from old regions in mountainous areas of Minangkabau such as Batusangkar, Agam, Lima Puluh Kota, Payakumbuh, Padang Panjang and Bukittinggi. It mainly consists of beef, offal, poultry products, jackfruit, and many other vegetables and animal products which are found in these places. Rendang pesisir (‘coastal rendang’) is from the coastal regions of Minangkabau such as Pariaman, Padang, Painan and Pasaman. Rendang pesisir mainly consists of seafood, although it is not unusual for them to incorporate beef or water buffalo meat in their rendang.

Indonesian Rendang variations:

Rendang daging: meat rendang. The most common rendang is made from beef, but may also be from water buffalo, goat, mutton or lamb, speciality of Padang.

Rendang ayam: chicken rendang, speciality of Batusangkar and Bukittinggi.

Rendang baluik (rendang belut): eel rendang, speciality of Solok. In the Solok dialect, it is also called ‘randang baluk’.

Rendang cubadak (rendang nangka): jackfruit rendang, speciality of Payakumbuh.

Rendang hati: cow's liver rendang, speciality of Minangkabau.

Rendang itiak (rendang bebek): duck rendang, speciality of Bukittinggi.

Rendang jamur: mushroom rendang

Rendang jantung pisang: banana blossom rendang, speciality of Minangkabau.

Rendang jariang (rendang jengkol): jengkol rendang, speciality of Bukittinggi.

Rendang jo kantang: beef rendang with baby potatoes, speciality of Kapau.

Rendang lokan (rendang tiram): marsh clam rendang, speciality of coastal regions of Minangkabau, such as Pariaman, Painan and Pesisir Selatan.

Rendang paru: cow's lung rendang, speciality of Payakumbuh.

Rendang pucuak ubi (rendang daun singkong): cassava leaves rendang, speciality of Minangkabau.

Rendang runtiah (rendang suir): shredded beef or poultry rendang, speciality of Payakumbuh.

Rendang tahu: tofu rendang, speciality of Minangkabau.

Rendang talua (rendang telur): egg rendang, speciality of Payakumbuh.

Rendang tempe: tempe rendang, speciality of Minangkabau.

Rendang tongkol: mackerel tuna rendang, speciality of coastal regions of Minangkabau.

Nasi Goreng

Nasi goreng, literally meaning "fried rice" in Indonesian and Malay, can refer simply to fried pre-cooked rice, a meal including stir fried rice in small amount of cooking oil or margarine, typically spiced with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shallot, garlic, tamarind and chilli and accompanied by other ingredients, particularly egg, chicken and prawns. There is also another kind of nasi goreng which is made with ikan asin (salted dried fish) which is also popular across Indonesia. Nasi goreng is sometimes described as Indonesian stir-fried rice, although it is also popular in Malaysia, Singapore and the Netherlands.

Nasi goreng has been called the national dish of Indonesia, though there are many other contenders. It can be enjoyed in simple versions from a tin plate at a roadside food stall, eaten on porcelain in restaurants, or collected from the buffet tables of Jakarta dinner parties

In 2011 an online poll by 35,000 people held by CNN International chose Indonesian nasi goreng as the number two of their 'World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods' list after rendang.

>> History
Nasi goreng had the same beginnings as other versions of fried rice; as a way to avoid wasting rice. Frying the rice could prevent the propagation of dangerous microbes, especially in pre-refrigeration technology Indonesia and Malaya, and also avoid the need to throw out precious food.Nasi goreng is traditionally served at home for breakfast and it is traditionally made out of leftover rice from the night before. Besides ingredients like shallot, tomato, pepper and chili, the rice is fried with scraps of chicken or beef; usually leftovers from a chicken or beef dish.

Nasi goreng is often described as Indonesia's twist on fried rice. And as with other fried rice recipes in Asia, it has been suggested that it can trace its origin from Southern Chinese fried rice. However it is not clear when Indonesians began to adopt the Chinese fried rice and create their own version. The Chinese influences upon Indonesian cuisine can be seen in mie goreng that appeared simultaneously with the introduction of the stir frying technique that required the use of a Chinese wok. The trade between China and the Indonesian archipelago flourished from the era of Srivijaya around the 10th century and intensified in the Majapahit era around the 15th century. By that time Chinese immigrants had begun to settle in the archipelago, bringing along with them their culture and cuisine. Chinese people usually favor freshly cooked hot food, and in their culture it is taboo to throw away uneaten foodstuffs. As a result, the previous day's leftover rice was often recooked in the morning. Previously, Indonesians probably simply sun-dried the leftover rice to make intip or rengginang (rice cracker), the dried rice also could be ground to make rice flour.

Nasi goreng is ubiquitous in Indonesia, and also popular in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, as well as the Netherlands through its colonial ties with Indonesia. In Philippines, nasi goreng known as Sinangag or garlic fried rice. Today microwave-heated frozen nasi goreng is available in convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven and Lawson in Indonesia.

Ingredients
Nasi goreng is distinguished from other Asian fried rice recipes by its generous amount of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), and the taste is stronger and spicier compared to Chinese fried rice. Nasi goreng often includes krupuk and bawang goreng (fried shallots) or (fried onions) to give a crispier texture.

The main ingredients of nasi goreng include pre-cooked rice, sweet soy sauce, salt, garlic, shallot, chilli pepper, spring onions, nutmeg, turmeric, vegetable oil, onions, palm sugar, ginger garlic paste, and slices of cucumber and tomato for garnishing. Some recipes may add black pepper, terasi (shrimp paste), fish sauce, or powdered broth as a seasoning and taste enhancer. Eggs might be mixed into fried rice or fried separately, either as telur ceplok/telur mata sapi (sunny side up eggs), or telur dadar (omelette), and also telur rebus (boiled eggs). Originally optional, the addition of fried egg is often named as nasi goreng spesial (pakai telur) or special fried rice topped with fried egg.

Condiments
Nasi goreng often add condiments as add-on upon the fried rice. Fried shallot and traditional crackers are often sprinkled upon to give crispy texture, pickles are added to give sour freshness in otherwise rather oily dish, while chili paste is to add the zesty spiciness according to one's preference. Some common condiments are:

Bawang goreng: fried shallot, spinkled upon nasi goreng
Kerupuk: various types of crackers, usually emping or prawn crackers
Acar: pickles made from vinegar preserved cucumber, shallots, carrot, and small chilli pepper
Sambal: chilli sauce

Variations
There is no single recipe of nasi goreng, as every fried rice dish with certain mixtures, additions, ingredients, and toppings could lead to another recipe of nasi goreng. Usually, in Indonesian households, the ingredients of nasi goreng to be prepared for daily breakfast are the leftovers of the previous day's meals preserved in the refrigerator, with fresh vegetables and eggs added. The basic ingredients of nasi goreng are rice and sliced or ground bumbu (spices) mixture of shallot, garlic, pepper, salt, tomato ketchup, sambal or chili sauce, and usually sweet soy sauce. Some variants may add saus tiram (oyster sauce), ang-ciu (Chinese cooking red wine), kecap ikan (fish sauce), or kecap inggris (like Worcestershire sauce). The texture of leftover cooked rice is considered more suitable for nasi goreng than that of newly cooked rice, as freshly cooked rice is too moist and soft.

Nasi goreng is known as fried rice variants commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. There are similar fried rice dishes from neighboring countries, such as Philippines style fried rice called sinangag, and Thai fried rice from Thailand.

Indonesia

In most parts of Indonesia, nasi goreng is cooked with ample amounts of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) that created golden brownish color and the flavour is mildly sweet. However, in other places such as Eastern Indonesia (Sulawesi and Maluku), the sweet soy sauce are usually absent and replaced by bottled tomato and chili sauce, creating reddish-colored nasi goreng. This variant is called nasi goreng merah (red fried rice) or nasi goreng Makassar after the South Sulawesi capital. Some variants of nasi goreng, such as salted fish or teri Medan (Medan's anchovy) nasi goreng, are not using kecap manis at all, creating lighter color similar to Chinese fried rice or Japanese chahan.

The most common nasi goreng usually uses chicken and egg, however, some variants are usually named after its additional ingredients, such as nasi goreng kambing (with goat meat), nasi goreng pete/petai (with green stinky bean), nasi goreng jamur (with mushroom), nasi goreng sapi (with beef), nasi goreng udang (with shrimp), nasi goreng seafood (with seafood, such as squid, fish and shrimp), nasi goreng ikan asin (with salted fish), nasi goreng teri medan (with Medan's anchovy), etc. Other specific nasi goreng recipes include nasi goreng kampung and nasi goreng Jawa (Javanese fried rice)

>> Servings

> Homemade

Nasi goreng can be eaten at any time of day, and many Indonesians, Malaysians and Singaporeans eat nasi goreng for breakfast. In most of households, last night leftovers stored in refrigerator are often used to create nasi goreng for breakfast; such as chunks of chicken, shrimp, vegetables, fish, beef, bakso or sausages. The rice used to make nasi goreng is cooked ahead of time and left to cool down (so it is not soggy), which is one reason to use rice cooked from the day before.

> Street vendor

While most Indonesian households serve it for breakfast, nasi goreng is also a popular choice for late night supper served by street vendors, in warungs and also by travelling night hawkers that frequent Indonesian residential neighborhoods with their wheeled carts. The nasi goreng is usually cooked on order for each serving, since the cook usually asks the client their preference on the degree of spiciness: mild, medium, hot or extra hot. The spiciness corresponds to the amount of sambal or chili pepper paste used. The cook might also ask how the client would like their egg done: mixed into nasi goreng or fried separately as telur mata sapi or ceplok (fried whole egg) or as telur dadar (omelette). The term spesial pakai telur means the nasi goreng has two eggs per serving, one mixed into the nasi goreng as scrambled egg, another fried separately. As well as offering nasi goreng, the travelling nasi goreng cart vendors usually also serve mi goreng, mi rebus, and kwetiau goreng.

> Restaurant

Nasi goreng is a popular dish in Indonesian restaurants and Asian fusion restaurants. It is often served for breakfast in Indonesian hotels. In restaurants, the dish is often served as a main meal accompanied by additional items such as a fried egg, fried chicken, satay, vegetables, seafoods such as fried shrimp or fish, and kerupuk (meaning crackers, also called "prawn crackers" and many other names). In many warungs (street stalls), when accompanied by a fried egg, it is sometimes called nasi goreng istimewa (special fried rice).Nasi goreng is usually sold together with bakmi goreng (fried noodles) and mie rebus (noodle soup). They sell a simple nasi goreng with small amount of shredded fried chicken, scrambled egg, green vegetables, and served with pickled cucumber.

Convenience store

Some seasoning brands sold in supermarkets, such as Sajiku-Ajinomoto, Royco and Kokita offering "bumbu nasi goreng", an instant nasi goreng seasoning paste to be applied upon frying leftover rice. Today the modern convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and Lawson operated in Indonesia also offering prepackage frozen microwave-heated nasi goreng take away.

In popular culture

Tante Lien's song "Geef Mij Maar Nasi Goreng" (Just Give Me Nasi Goreng), recorded in 1979, illustrates historical culinary ties between the Netherlands and Indonesia, as well as whimsically describing the craving of people of Indo (Eurasian) descent repatriated in the Netherlands for Indonesian cuisine.

In the 2013 film "Java Heat", Indonesian actor Ario Bayu plays Lieutenant Hashim, a police detective of Detachment 88 ate one of the Nasi Goreng, the traditional Indonesian food while questioned by Jake Traver (portrayed by Kellan Lutz) about eating his food before his mobile patrol car was overturned and killing two terrorists and survives Achmed (portrayed by Mike Muliadro) and surviving him after both were trapped in the overturned mobile patrol car.

Satay

   

Satay (/ˈsæteɪ/, /ˈsɑːteɪ/ sah-tay), modern Indonesian and Malay spelling of sate, is a dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or tofu; the more authentic version uses skewers from the midrib of the coconut palm frond, although bamboo skewers are often used. These are grilled or barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings.

Sate Ponorogo being grilled in a foodstall in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
Satay originated in Java, Indonesia.It is available almost anywhere in Indonesia, where it has become a national dish.It is also popular in many other Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippines, as well as in Suriname and the Netherlands, as Indonesia and Suriname are former Dutch colonies.

Satay is a very popular delicacy in Indonesia; the country's diverse ethnic groups' culinary arts (see Indonesian cuisine) have produced a wide variety of satays. In Indonesia, satay can be obtained from a travelling satay vendor, from a street-side tent-restaurant, in an upper-class restaurant, or during traditional celebration feasts. In Malaysia, satay is a popular dish—especially during celebrations—and can be found throughout the country. In Southern Philippines it is known as satti.

Close analogues are yakitori from Japan, shish kebab from Turkey and the Middle East, shashlik from the Caucasus, chuanr from China, and sosatie from South Africa. It is listed at number 14 on World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll complied by CNN Go in 2011.

>> Origin
Although both Thailand and Malaysia claim it as their own, its Southeast Asian origin was in Java, Indonesia. There satay was developed from the Indian kebab brought by the Muslim traders. Even India cannot claim its origin, for there it was a legacy of Middle Eastern influence.

— Jennifer Brennan (1988), Satay
A dish with widespread popularity, the origins of satay are unclear. The word "satay" itself is thought to have been derived from Indonesian: sate and Malay: saté or satai, both perhaps of Tamil origin. Satay was supposedly invented by Javanese street vendors as an adaptation of Indian kebabs. This theory is based on the fact that satay has become popular in Java after the influx of Muslim Tamil Indian and Arab immigrants to Dutch East Indies in the early 19th century. The satay meats used by Indonesians and Malaysians — mutton and beef — are also favoured by Arabs and are not as popular in China as are pork and chicken.

Another theory states that the word "satay" is derived from the Min Nan words sa tae bak (三疊肉), which mean "three pieces of meat". This theory is discounted, however, as traditional satay often consists of four pieces of meat and the fact that four is considered to be an inauspicious number in Chinese culture.

From Java (though this is difficult to prove from very few records), satay spread through the Malay Archipelago and, as a consequence, numerous variations of the dish have been developed and exist. By the late 19th century, satay has crossed the Strait of Malacca into neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. In the 19th century, the term migrated, presumably with Malay immigrants from the Dutch East Indies, to South Africa, where it is known as sosatie. The Dutch also brought this dish as well as many other Indonesian specialties to the Netherlands, thereby influencing Dutch cuisine even to this day

>> Preparation
Turmeric is a necessary ingredient used to marinate satay, which gives the dish its characteristic yellow colour. Meat commonly used includes beef, mutton, pork, venison, fish, shrimp, squid, chicken, rabbit and tripe. Some have also used more exotic varieties of meat, such as turtle, crocodile, horse, lizard, and snake meat.

Satay may be served with a spicy peanut sauce dip, or peanut gravy, slivers of onions, cucumbers, and ketupat (rice cakes). Mutton satay is usually served with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) instead of peanut sauce. Pork satay can be served in a pineapple-based satay sauce or cucumber relish. An Indonesian version uses a soy sauce-based dip.

>> Variants and outlets of note
> Indonesia
Indonesia is the home of satay (known as sate in Indonesian and pronounced similar to the English "satay"), and satay is a widely renowned dish in almost all regions of Indonesia; it is considered the national dish and one of Indonesia's best dishes.Satays, in particular, are a staple in Indonesian cuisine, served everywhere from street carts to fine dining establishments, as well as in homes and at public gatherings. As a result, many variations have been developed throughout the Indonesian Archipelago. In Indonesia there are some restaurants that specialized on serving various kinds of satay and present it as their specialty, such as Sate Ponorogo Restaurant, Sate Blora Restaurant, and also chains of Sate Khas Senayan restaurants, previously known as Satay House Senayan. In Bandung, the West Java Governor's office is popularly called Gedung Sate (Indonesian: Satay building) to refer the satay-like pinnacle on its roof.

Indonesia has the richest variations of satay in the world. The satay variants in Indonesia usually named after the region its originated, the meats, parts or ingredients its uses, also might named after the process or method of cooking.

Sate Ambal
A satay variant from Ambal, Kebumen, Central Java. This satay uses a native breed of poultry, ayam kampung. The sauce is not based on peanuts, but rather ground tempeh, chilli and spices. The chicken meat is marinated for about two hours to make the meat tastier. This satay is accompanied with ketupat.

Sate Ampet
Another Lombok delicacy. It is made from beef, cow's intestines and other cow's internal organs. The sauce for sate ampet is hot and spicy, which is no surprise since the island's name, lombok merah, means red chili. The sauce is santan (coconut milk) and spices.

Sate Babat
Tripe satay. Mildly marinated and mostly boiled than grilled, usually served as a side-dish to accompany soto.

Sate Babi
Pork satay, popular among the Indonesian Chinese community, most of whom do not share the Muslim prohibition against pork. This dish can be found in Chinatowns in Indonesian cities, especially around Glodok, Pecenongan, and Senen in the Jakarta area. It is also popular in Bali which the majority are Hindus, it is also popular in North Sulawesi, the North Tapanuli, and Nias, where most people are Christians, and also popular in the Netherlands.

Sate Banjar
A variant of satay popular in South Kalimantan, especially in the town of Banjarmasin.

Sate Bandeng
Milkfish Satay, a unique delicacy from Banten. It is a satay made from boneless bandeng (milkfish). The seasoned spicy milkfish meat is separated from the small bones, then placed back into the milkfish skin, clipped by a bamboo stick, and grilled over charcoal.

Sate Belut
Eel Satay, another Lombok rare delicacy. It is made from belut, (lit. eel ) commonly found in watery rice paddies in Indonesia. A seasoned eel is skewered and wrapped around each skewer, then grilled over charcoal fire, so each skewer contains an individual small eel.

Sate Blora
A variant originating in Blora, located in Central Java. This variant is made of chicken (meat and skin) pieces that are smaller compared to the other variants. It is normally eaten with peanut sauce, rice, and a traditional soup made of coconut milk and herbs. Sate Blora is grilled in front of buyers as they are eating. The buyers tell the vendor to stop grilling when they are finished with their meal.

Sate Buntel

Lit: Wrapped Satay, a specialty from Solo or Surakarta, Central Java. It’s made from minced beef or goat (especially meats around ribs and belly area). The minced fatty meats are wrapped by thin fat or muscle membrane and wrapped around a bamboo skewer. The size of this satay is quite large, very similar to a middle eastern kebab. After being grilled on charcoal, the meat is separated from the skewer, cut into bite-size chunks, then served in sweet soy sauce and merica (pepper).

Sate Bulus

Turtle satay, another rare delicacy from Yogyakarta. It is a satay made from freshwater bulus (softshell turtle). It is served with sliced fresh shallots (small red onion), pepper, and sweet soy sauce. Bulus meat is also served in soup or tongseng (Javanese style spicy-sweet soup).

Sate Burung Ayam-ayaman

Bird Satay, the satay is made from gizzard, liver, and intestines of burung ayam-ayaman (watercock). After being seasoned with mild spices and stuck on a skewer, this bird's internal organs aren’t grilled, but are deep fried in cooking oil instead.

Sate Hati

Liver Satay. There is two types of liver satays, cattle liver (goat or cow) and chicken liver satay. The cattle liver made by diced whole liver, while the chicken liver satay is made from mixture of chicken liver, gizzard, and intestines. Usually gizzard is placed on the bottom, intestine on the center and liver or heart on the top. After seasoning, the internal organs are not fried or grilled, but are boiled instead. It’s not treated as a main dish, but often as a side dish to accompany bubur ayam (chicken rice porridge).

Sate Kambing

Goat satay, a variant of satay popular in Java, made with goat, lamb or mutton meat. Different than other satay, sate kambing is not usually pre-seasoned or pre-cooked. Raw lamb is skewered and grilled directly on the charcoal. It is then served with sweet soy sauce, sliced shallots, and cut-up tomatoes. Since the meat is not pre-cooked, it is important to choose a very young lamb. Most famous vendor usually use lamb under three to five months old. Lamb from goat is also more popular than lamb from sheep due to milder flavor.

Sate Kerbau

Water buffalo satay, a variant of satay popular in Kudus, where most Muslim believed that it is forbidden to eat beef in order to respect the Hindus. This satay is made with water buffalo meat. The meat is cooked first with palm sugar, coriander, cumin, and other seasoning until very tender. Some vendor choose to even grind the meat first in order to make it really tender. It is then grilled on charcoal, and served with sauce made with coconut milk, palm sugar, and other seasoning. Traditionally, satay kerbau is served on a plate covered with teak wood leaves.

Sate Kelinci

Rabbit meat Satay, this variant of satay is made from rabbit meat, a delicacy from Java. It is served with sliced fresh shallots (small red onion), peanut sauce, and sweet soy sauce. Rabbit satay usually can be found in mountainous tourist region in Java where locals breed rabbit for its meat, such as Lembang in West Java, Kaliurang in Yogyakarta, Bandungan and Tawangmangu resort in Central Java, also Telaga Sarangan in East Java.

Sate Kerang

Shellfish satay. The most popular variant of sate kerang is from Medan, North Sumatra, it is rich spicy cooked shellfish in skewer an often become oleh-oleh (food gift) for visitors visiting Medan.In Java sate kerang it is mildly marinated and boiled, also served as a side-dish to accompany soto.

Sate Kere

Lit: Poorman's satay. A cheap vegetarian satay made from grounded tempe from Solo city, served in peanut sauce and pickles. The word kere in the Javanese language means "poor"; it originally was meant to provide the poor people of Java with the taste of satay at an affordable price, since meat was considered a luxury in the past. Today, sate kere also includes intestine, liver and beef satays mixed with tempe ones.

Sate Kuda

Horse meat Satay. Locally known in Javanese as sate jaran, this is made from horse meat, a delicacy from Yogyakarta. It is served with sliced fresh shallots (small red onion), pepper, and sweet soy sauce.

Sate Kulit

Skin Satay. Found in Sumatra, this is a crisp satay made from marinated chicken skin.

Sate Lembut

A rare satay recipe of the Betawi people. It is can be found in Jalan Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta. The satay is made from minced beef mixed with shredded coconut and spices, wrapped around a flat bamboo skewer. Usually eaten with ketupat laksa betawi (Betawi style Laksa with ketupat glutinous compressed rice).

Sate Lilit

A satay variant from Balinese cuisine. This satay is made from minced beef, chicken, fish, pork, or even turtle meat, which is then mixed with grated coconut, thick coconut milk, lemon juice, shallots, and pepper. Wound around bamboo, sugar cane or lemon grass sticks, it is then grilled on charcoal.

Sate Madura

Originating on the island of Madura, near Java, it is a famous satay variant among Indonesians. Most often made from mutton or chicken, the recipe's main characteristic is the black sauce made from Indonesian sweet soy sauce/kecap manis mixed with palm sugar (called gula jawa or "javanese sugar" in Indonesia), garlic, deep fried shallots, peanut paste, petis (a kind of shrimp paste), kemiri (candlenut), and salt. Chicken Madura satay is usually served in peanut sauce, while the mutton Madura satay is usually served in sweet soy sauce. Sate Madura uses thinner chunks of meat than other variants. It is eaten with rice or rice cakes wrapped in banana/coconut leaves (lontong/ketupat). Raw thinly sliced shallot and plain sambal are often served as condiments

Sate Manis

Also a speciality from the Betawi people. It is also can be found in Jalan Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta. The satay is made from slices of has dalam (tenderloin) the finest part of beef, marinated with sweet spices. Usually eaten with ketupat laksa betawi.

Sate Maranggi

Commonly found in Purwakarta, Cianjur and Bandung, the cities in West Java, this satay is made from beef marinated in a special paste. The two most important elements of the paste are kecombrang (Nicolaia speciosa) flower buds and ketan (sweet rice) flour. Nicola buds bring a unique aroma and a liquorice-like taste. It is served with ketan cake (jadah) or plain rice.

Sate Matang

A satay variant from Matang Geulumpang Dua, Bireun, Aceh. This satay is made from beef, usually served with peanut sauce and soto or soup separately.

Sate Makassar

From a region in Southern Sulawesi, this satay is made from beef and cow offal marinated in sour carambola sauce. It has a unique sour and spicy taste. Unlike most satays, it is served without sauce.

Sate Padang

A dish from Padang and the surrounding area in West Sumatra, which is made from cow or goat offal boiled in spicy broth then grilled. Its main characteristic is a yellow sauce made from rice flour mixed with spicy offal broth, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander, galangal root, cumin, curry powder and salt. It is further separated into two sub-variants, the Pariaman and the Padang Panjang, which differ in taste and the composition of their yellow sauces.

Sate Ponorogo

A variant of satay originating in Ponorogo, a town in East Java. It is made from sliced marinated chicken meat, and served with a sauce made of peanuts and chilli sauce and Garnished with shredded shallots, sambal (chili paste) and lime juice. This variant is unique for the fact that each skewer contains one large piece of chicken, rather than several small slices. The meat is marinated in spices and sweet soy sauce, in a process called bacem and is served with rice or lontong (rice cake). The grill is made from terracotta earthenware with a hole in one side to allow ventilation for the coals. After three months of use, the earthenware grill disintegrates, and must be replaced.

Sate Pusut

A delicacy from Lombok, the neighboring island east of Bali. It is made from a mixture of minced meat (beef, chicken, or fish), shredded coconut meat, and spices. The mixture then is wrapped around a skewer and grilled over charcoal.

Sate Susu

Milky satay. A tasty dish commonly found in Java and Bali, made from grilled spicy beef brisket with a distinctive milky taste, served with hot chilli sauce.

Sate Tegal

A sate of a yearling or five-month-old lamb; the nickname for this dish in Tegal is balibul, an acronym of baru lima bulan (just 5 months). Each kodi, or dish, contains twenty skewers, and each skewer has four chunks — two pieces of meat, one piece of fat and then another piece of meat. It is grilled over wood charcoal until it is cooked between medium and well done; however it is possible to ask for medium rare. Sometimes the fat piece can be replaced with liver or heart or kidney. This is not marinated prior to grilling. On serving, it is accompanied by sweet soya sauce (medium sweetness, slightly thinned with boiled water), sliced fresh chilli, sliced raw shallots (eschalot), quartered green tomatoes, and steamed rice, and is sometimes garnished with fried shallots.

Sate Telur Puyuh

Quail eggs satay. Several hard-boiled quail eggs are put into skewers, marinated in sweet soy sauce with spices and boiled further, also served as a side-dish for soto.

Sate Telur Muda

Young egg satay. This satay is made from premature chicken egg (uritan) obtained upon slaughtering the hens. The immature eggs that has not developed the eggshell yet are boiled and put into skewers to be grilled as satay. The telur muda or uritan often combined in the same skewer as chicken skin satay. This kind of satay also usually served as side dish to accompany bubur ayam.

Sate Torpedo

Testicles satay. Satay made from goat testicles marinated in soy sauce and grilled. It is eaten with peanut sauce, pickles, and hot white rice.

Sate Udang

Shrimp Satay that uses large shrimps, shelled and cleaned and often with the tails off and lightly grilled. Some recipes call for a marinade of thick coconut milk with sambal (chili paste), powdered laos (galangal root), ground kemiri (candlenut, one can substitute macadamia nuts in a pinch), minced shallots and pressed garlic. One can add salt to taste. Shrimp satay seldom served with the peanut sauce so popular with other satays, because it might overpower a delicate shrimp flavour.

Sate Ular

Snake Satay, a rare and exotic delicacy usually founds in foodstalls specialize on serving exotic reptile meats like snakes and biawak (monitor lizards), such as the one founds near Gubeng train station in Surabaya, or near Mangga Besar and Tebet train station in Jakarta. It usually uses ular sedok (cobra) or sanca (python) meat. It is served with sliced fresh shallots (small red onion), pickles, pepper, and sweet soy sauce.

Sate Usus

Chicken Intestine satay. This mildly marinated satay is usually fried, also as a side-dish to accompany bubur ayam.

Gado - Gado

Gado-gado (Indonesian or Betawi), also known as lotek (Sundanese and Javanese), is an Indonesian saladof slightly boiled, blanched or steamed vegetables and hard-boiled eggs, fried tofu and tempeh, and lontong (rice wrapped in a banana leaf), served with a peanut sauce dressing

>> Etymology
The term gado or the verb menggado means to consume something without rice. Gado-gado in Indonesian literary means "mix-mix" since it is made of rich mixture of vegetables such as potatoes, string beans, bean sprouts, spinach, chayote, bitter gourd, corn and cabbage, with tofu, tempeh and hard-boiled eggs, all mixed in peanut sauce dressing, sometimes also topped with krupuk and sprinkles of fried shallots. Gado-gado is different from lotek atah or karedok which uses raw vegetables. Another similar dish is the Javanese pecel.

>> Region
Gado-gado is widely sold in almost every part of Indonesia, with each area having its own modifications.It is thought to have originally been a Sundanese dish, as it is most prevalent in Western parts of Java; which includes Jakarta, Banten, and West Java provinces. The Javanese has their own slightly similar version of vegetables in peanut sauce dish called pecel which is more prevalent in Central and East Java. Gado-gado is widely available from hawkers carts, stalls (warung) and restaurants and hotels in Indonesia; it is also served in Indonesian-style restaurants worldwide. Though it is customarily called a salad, the peanut sauce is a larger component of gado-gado than is usual for the dressings in Western-style salads; the vegetables should be well coated with it.

Some eating establishment uses different mixture of peanut sauce, such as adding cashew nuts for taste. In Jakarta, some eating establishments boasting gado-gado as their signature dish, some has been in business for decades and has developed faithful clientele. Gado-gado Boplo restaurant chain for example has been around since 1970, while Gado-gado Bonbin in Cikini, has been around since 1960.

The key to a delicious gado-gado is the sauce made of fried crushed savory peanuts, sweet palm sugar, mixed with garlic, chilies, salt and the slightly sour but refreshing tamarind and a squeeze of lime. Formerly, gado-gado sauce was generally made to order, sometimes in front of the customers to suit their personal preference for the degree of spiciness, which corresponds to the amount of chili pepper included. However, particularly in the West, gado-gado sauce is often prepared ahead of time and in bulk. Gado-gado sauce is also available in dried form, which simply needs to be rehydrated by adding hot water.

Gado-gado sauce is not to be confused with satay sauce, which is also a peanut sauce.

Ingredients
> Peanut sauce dressing
Most of flavours in gado-gado are acquired from the mixture of its bumbu kacang or peanut salad dressing. Gado-gado perfectly combines a slightly sweet, spicy and savory tastes.The common primary ingredients of the peanut sauce are as follows:

ground fried peanuts (kidney beans may be substituted for a richer taste)
coconut sugar/palm sugar (substitute brown sugar if unavailable)
chillies (according to preference and desired degree of spiciness)
terasi (dried shrimp paste)
salt
tamarind juice
lime juice
water to dilute
The traditional method of making gado-gado is to use the cobek (pestle) and ulekan or flat rounded stone. The dry ingredients are ground first, then the tamarind liquids is added to achieve the desired consistency.

> Vegetables
The composition of the vegetable salad varies greatly, but usually comprises a mixture of some of the following:

blanched - shredded, chopped, or sliced green vegetables such as cabbage, kangkung, spinach, bean sprouts, boiled young jack fruit, chayote, string bean, green bean, bitter melon, and corn.
sliced - boiled potatoes
uncooked - sliced cucumber
peeled and sliced boiled eggs
sliced - fried tofu and tempeh
Outside Indonesia, it is usual to improvise with whatever vegetables are available. All the ingredients are blanched or lightly boiled, including vegetables, potatoes and bean sprouts, except for the tempeh and tofu, which is fried, and cucumber which is sliced and served fresh. The blanched vegetables and other ingredients are mixed well with the peanut sauce.

Garnishes and rice
In Indonesia gado-gado is commonly served mixed with chopped lontong or ketupat (glutinous rice cake), or with steamed rice served separately. It is nearly always served with krupuk (crackers), e.g. tapioca crackers or emping, Indonesian style fried crackers, which are made from melinjo. A common garnish is bawang goreng a finely-chopped fried shallot sprinkles.

>>See also
Ketoprak Jakarta
Lawar
Urap
Kuluban

Pecel

Pecel is a traditional Javanese salad, consisting of a mixed vegetables in peanut sauce dressing, usually served with steamed rice or sometimes with lontong or ketupat compressed rice cake.The peanut sauce used in pecel is also similar to gado-gado. Peanut sauce for pecel has no coconut milk. However pecel has been strongly associated with Javanese cuisine, while gado-gado is usually associated with Betawi and Sundanese cuisine. In Malaysia, it is called as pecal which is introduced by the Javanese immigrants. Pecel is also very popular in Suriname, where it was introduced by the Javanese Surinamese.

>>Ingredient
Pecel consists of boiled or blanched water spinach, spinach, bean sprouts, yardlong bean, cucumber, cassava leaf and lemon basil, poured with peanut sauce, made from ground fried peanuts mixed with water, salt, palm sugar, tamarind juice, chili pepper, galangal, kaffir lime leaf and garlic. Additional side dishes might be added in pecel dish, such as fried tempeh and tofu, perkedel kentang, bakwan jagung (vegetables and corn fritters) and crispy rempeyek peanut cracker or krupuk.

>Variants
The vegetables used in pecel might vary, and the peanut sauce's recipe might slightly different among regions in Java. The origin of pecel is still unknown, but most likely it is originated from the town of Madiun or Ponorogo in East Java, since it has the most famous pecel variant, and also because sate Ponorogo used the same kind of peanut sauce that is normally used in pecel. Nevertheless pecel can be found in most of Javanese villages and cities. Pecel can be home made or served in Javanese restaurants, humble warung, to travelling Mbok bakul pecel, a travelling pecel-seller woman that carry pecel ingredients in woven bamboo basket and frequenting residential areas selling her wares. This travelling selling method is also similar to Mbok jamu gendong that sells jamu herbs traditional medicine instead

>>See also
Urap
Tekwan
Pempek
Ketoprak
Pecel lele