Nasi Liwet (Javanese rice)

Similar to nasi uduk, nasi liwet is a traditional Javanese style of cooking rice that includes coconut milk and chicken broth, with the fragrance of bay leaves and lemongrass. It’s common to eat nasi liwet along with a variety of side dishes and extra coconut cream.

When I was in Indonesia, Ken and Gracia from Cowokrakus invited me to experience an authentic local Sundanese nasi liwet feast at their home in Bogor, about an hour from Jakarta. The rice was extremely fragrant, and along with the coconut milk, it was also mixed with little fried fish to give it another added dimension of taste and texture. We ate off a communal banana leaf, piled with side dishes like grilled chicken, and a variety of curries, and fresh herbs and vegetables to garnish. It was one of the most memorable Indonesian meals I’ve ever had.

Where: I had this dish home cooked, but do you know of any good restaurants? I would love to hear from you in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

Gulai Daun Singkong (curry cassava leaves)

I grew up for a number of years in Congo with my parents, and one of the dishes we ate nearly everyday was cassava leaves, sometimes cooked with peanuts, and I used to love them.

So I was very glad that a common type of leaf vegetable you’ll find in Indonesian cuisine are cassava leaves. Cassava leaves are actually toxic if you eat them raw, but they are delicious when cooked, and have a slight leathery texture to them.

Where: The best curry cassava leaves I had in Jakarta was at Rumah Makan Medan Baru; Address: Jalan Krekot Bunder No. 65, Pasar Baru, Sawah Besar, Jakarta; Open hours: 9 am – 9 pm daily; Prices: Ou total bill was 406,000 IDR ($30.69) for many dishes.

Asinan (pickled vegetable salad)

Asinan is a snack that includes pickled fruits or vegetables, but in a number of different forms and styles depending on which region of Indonesia you’re in.

When I was hanging out with Hey Theresia, a local Indonesian food blogger, we stopped for a plate of Asinan Betawi, a Jakarta version of asinan. The vendor chopped up a bunch of pickled and blanched vegetables, then added on a couple of fried noodle crackers, and then doused the snack in a sweet and salty fruity tasting sauce. It was a very interesting mix, including lots of sour and salty flavors.

Where: Right outside the entrance of Ragusa Es Italia ice cream shop; Address: Kav 3-5, Komplek Pertokoan Duta Merlin, Jalan Gajah Mada, Jakarta, Indonesia (not far from the National Monument in Jakarta).