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Indonesia consists of over 17,000 island stretching almost from Australia in the south to Malaysia and the Philippines in the north; the two biggest are Sumatra and Java. It has the worlds 4th largest population at about 250 million people. It is also the world’s largest Muslim country.
Europeans arrived in 1512 and the country remained a Dutch colony, known as the Dutch East Indies, until the end of the Second World War in 1945.As might be expected from a country that includes the Spice Islands (more commonly called the Moluccas) Indonesian food includes plenty of spices.
The volcanic soil makes the ground very fertile and paddy fields of rice, often worked by buffalo, are very common but many other fruits and vegetables are also grown. Exotic fruits such as papaya, mango and even the ‘king of the fruits’ the durian abound. The staple food is usually rice often with coconut milk. The two best known forms of rice dish are nsai putih, plain boiled rice, and nasi goreng which is fried rice.
They can be served with fish or meat and various vegetables as side dishes. Coconut milk is also used extensively for other dishes, thin in soups, thick and creamy in deserts.Traditionally the main source of protein has been fish and this is still very common but as might be expected from a Muslim country goat and lamb are now common together with some beef while pork is generally not eaten (except in Bali which is predominantly Hindu).
Tofu and other soy based dishes are also favoured.While rice is the main staple the size and nature of the Indonesian islands means that it is not universally so. In the Moluccas, for instance, cassava and sweet potatoes are predominant. It is not surprising that as a centre for trade particularly in spices the Indonesian islands also imported food ideas form elsewhere. Chillies from Mexico added heat and peanuts from South America formed the basis of satay sauce. The Dutch added potatoes, maize, cabbage etc in order to feel more at home during their rule.
Chinese influence is seen in noodles, mung beans and the process of stir frying in a wok. The Arabs, as well as introducing Islam, also had a strong culinary influence with perhaps the best known example being satay, marinated meat cubes threaded on skewers. Curries were brought by Indian traders. The original targets of the traders, nutmeg and cloves are, surprisingly, now little used in Indonesian cooking.Indonesians are keen on their sweet soy sauce, modified from the Chinese original; it’s called kecap manis.
Kecap is pronounced ketchup and is the original use of the word. The traditional bowl of water often supplied in restaurants with a slice of lemon in it is called kobokan and is used for washing fingers, not for drinking!