Indonesian Food: The Most Colorful Food

By Agata Nina Puspita (121214066)

Indonesia is an archipelago country which has the most colorful food in this world. Every place in Indonesia, from West to East, and from North to South has many different characteristics of food. Each of food has their own recipe and it is different from one food to another. The differences will be seen when all of the traditional food is gathered together because the food comes from different places and it makes the taste of the food different.

Indonesian food is also different with other countries food, because it is influenced by other cuisine, including Chinese, Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian and Dutch. Many of Indonesian foods have its characteristics and Indonesian people should be proud of their country. For this reason, most of Indonesian foods are spicy because of the influence of various cultures above, so it is not surprising that everyone could easily find chili in Indonesian food. Chili is usually used as herbs seasoning in main course. Then, if there is not any chili, Indonesian people will use sambal (Indonesian term for chili sauce). Sambal from Indonesia is spicy and hot because Indonesian put many chilies in their sambal. In addition, Indonesian foods have also sour and sweet taste, so people can easily find many varieties taste in Indonesian traditional foods. Therefore, for somebody who wants to try Indonesian food for the first time, they should take a taste test because they will get surprised from the food.

Besides, Indonesian has many traditional foods which are so colorful in their varieties and some of them look similar with other countries cuisine. One of the examples is chicken curry from Indian because it will look similar like chicken curry from Indonesia. In fact, Indonesia has many various kind of chicken curry, for example, chicken curry from Aceh and chicken curry from Java. Chicken curry from Aceh will look spicier than chicken curry from Java because Aceh people put many chilies and pepper in their chicken curry, but all of the chicken curry from Indonesia have some similarities in the taste because most of Indonesian people usually put coconut milk (santan) in their chicken curry, so the taste of chicken curry from Indonesia is so tasteful. Then, Indonesian fried rice will look similar like Chinese fried rice, but the color of Indonesian fried rice will be darker because Indonesian put the soy sauce in their food. Therefore, for somebody who wants to know the differences, they have to look at the food carefully, because if they do not look at it carefully, they will not find the differences.

Indonesia, as a unique country, still has one more food which looks similar like other cuisine and it is meatball. Indonesian meatball is so different, because the meat is so soft and delicious. The taste of Indonesian meatball is unique and wonderful because the taste is the combination of sweet, sour and spicy and it also represents every place from Indonesia. Then, fantastically, during a state dinner in Jakarta, Obama as the president of United States of America tried Indonesian foods and Indonesian should be proud because it is one of the precious moments. “Meatball soup, fried rice ... it is all delicious!” said Obama with a huge smile. Besides, Ken Woytisek, chef instructor in Asian cuisines at the Culinary Institute of America's St. Helena, Calif., campus, agreed, saying “The Indonesian version really does tend to be the king, the real granddaddy of all of the southeast Asian beef ball brethren.” “It is the whole idea of Asian beef balls taken to a higher realm. They are just better tasting” said Ken.

Wonderfully, based on the survey from CNN, Indonesian rendang is the tastiest food because in 2011 CNN International viewers voted rendang to the top among “The World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods.” Indonesian people are so surprised, but most of them agreed that rendang is the tastiest food because it is very delicious. In their opinion, it is also comparable, because if they want to make rendang, they have to spend many difficult processes and it will take a long time. Therefore, because of the difficult processes it will make the recipe spread out into the meat and it also make the texture of the meat becoming so soft. In fact, Indonesian put many herbs seasoning in their rendang, so it is not surprising that Indonesian rendang is so spicy and tasteful. Then, for those people who have not tried rendang, they have to eat rendang because they will want to eat rendang again after they try to eat rendang.

As a result, Indonesia is so colorful in their uniqueness because Indonesia has more than hundred foods. For that reason, Indonesian people should promote their food more. If they always promote their food, it will make people all over the world know that Indonesian food has many varieties of traditional food and the taste of each food is also varieties. In short, Indonesia will become famous because their food is the most colorful food.

References:

Cheung, T. (2011, September 7). Your pick: World's 50 best foods. Retrieved September 16, 2013 from http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/eat/readers-choice-worlds-50-most-delicious-foods-012321

SBS Food. (2008, July 1). Indonesian food is one of the most vibrant and colourful cuisines in the world, full of intense flavour. Over the centuries many different races have visited and left their stamp on the cuisine – Indian, Chinese, Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, English and Dutch. Retrieved September 15, 2013 from http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2008/07/01/about-indonesian-food

The Associated Press. Bakso: The Indonesian meatball soup President Obama loved as a child. Retrieved September 16, 2013 from http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/bakso-indonesian-meatball-soup-president-obama-loved-child-article-1.454324#ixzz2g4w9VCJL