Regional
Because Indonesia
is made up of so many islands and regions, the food people eat
is quite varied. In Sumatra, beef is used more than 
other meats. On Bali the
food is peppery and spicy.In Java, meals will generally consist
of vegetables, meat or chicken. In the eastern regions, seafood
is used a lot.
Fish being dried on a beach
Basics
However, in
general Indonesian food can be described as hot and spicy. Coconut
milk is used in curries. Rice is a staple food.
Indonesian
meals
For breakfast,or
makan pagi, people might eat :
babur ayam - a sweet porridge made from rice or mung beans,
with chicken
nasi goreng istem ewa - fried rice with a fried egg on
top.
Makan siang means lunch and makan malam means dinner.
These are some well known Indonesian dishes that might be enjoyed
for lunch or dinner:
nasi goreng - fried rice with vegetables and chicken
mee goreng - fried noodles fried rice with vegetables and
chicken
gado gado - vegetable salad with peanut sauce
satay - skewers of meat
grilled and served with peanut sauce
tempeh goreng - cubes of tempeh deep fried with garlic
and coriander
Tempeh
Tempeh is used in many recipes
in Indonesia. It is used n place of meat, can be fried, steamed,
boiled in coconut milk or used in soup. It is a cheap, healthy
food which contains protein and vitamins, and is said to have
antibacterial qualities to help fight illness.
How tempeh is
made
Tempeh is
an important food and has been made in Indonesia for more then
400 years. It is made of cooked soy beans mixed with an edible
fungus that makes a mould grow in the soybean mix. This is called
fermentation. The mixture is left to mature, like cheese. It becomes
a white cake of tempeh.
Fruit
There are many different kinds of fruit found in Indonesia, such
as mango, banana, coconut, jackfruit and papaya.
The
durian (left) is a fruit which has a beautiful taste but
which smells dreadful when it is cut open. Some hotels ban tourists
from taking durian to their rooms. It is the size of a large melon,
with a spiky skin. It grows on the lower part of the tree.
Acknowledge this source in
your bibliography like this:
A Trip to Indonesia (2001).
[Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au
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updated 1 March, 2001