Feature: An intro to Indonesian cuisine
Rosie Greenaway follows her taste buds to the sizzling streets of Jakarta to discover why Indonesia’s national dishes are quickly gaining fans in the UK
When celebrity chefs turn their attention to a particular region of the world, foodies tend to follow. So when Nigella Lawson and Rick Stein closed 2023 by sharing their favourite Indonesian-inspired recipes they set a precedent for 2024 which would see public appetite for this underrated cuisine start to soar.
But what constitutes Indonesian food and which organic shelf fillers exist to help health stores capitalize on the trend?
“Food truly is Jakarta’s love language.” This is the belief of chef and food entrepreneur Rahel Stephanie, who writes evocatively on the Indonesian capital’s thriving street food scene.
A rising star in the culinary world, whose name decorates a number of Top 100 and 30 under 30 initiatives, Stephanie hails from Jakarta and pays homage in several publications to the ‘unpretentious and well-loved cuisine’ of her hometown. Think sizzling street food vendors serving spicy bakso (meatball noodle soup) and bakpao (steamed buns filled with anything from chicken to chocolate), against the backdrop of a humid, jostling capital city.
Far from the streetside warungs of Java, Indonesian fare is taking off in the UK too, with Brits developing a taste for the country’s fragrant and spicy dishes. But are they getting to know the true flavours of the world’s largest archipelago? Stephanie thinks not.
Menu misrepresentation
Through the prevalence of pan-Asian menus which blend influences from across several nations (thus confusing customers as to the true origins of tempura or gyoza) Stephanie believes UK restaurants are minimizing the rich cultural heritage of each individual country in a bid to garner mass-market appeal.
“Adapting menus to meet the expectations of a Western audience (aka the chicken tikka masala phenomenon) may feel convenient, effective and harmless in the short term, but it becomes a wider issue due to the misrepresentation that it encourages – it leads to the erasure of the original culture and traditions. Satay in a Thai restaurant dilutes much of the cultural connection that the dish has from its origin in Indonesia,” Stephanie writes in The Good Food Guide.
But, she admits, defining exactly what Indonesian food is can be a perplexing task, since each of Indonesia’s 17,000-plus islands — from Java and Bali to Komodo and Sulawesi — boast a diverse take on the national cuisine. And so, room is left for interpretation across the global culinary scene.
Historical ties
The Netherlands is no exception; historical ties dating back to the 1600s cemented Dutch appetite for Indonesian cuisine – or at least modified version of it.
“The Netherlands had a colonial relationship with Indonesia for centuries,” explains Roelof Hulst, commercial manager at FZ Organic Food, wholesaler of Yakso, which boasts an extensive range of Indonesian condiments.
“Spices and other riches from the archipelago were of great economic importance. After Indonesia's independence in the 20th century, many 'Indonesian' Dutch returned to the Netherlands. They took their food culture with them, including dishes like noodles and fried rice. Indonesian cuisine thus became a welcome addition to traditional Dutch cuisine.
“Nasi, bami, ketjap manis, ketjap asin, sambal oelek, sateh sauce, beef stew rendang, tempeh and sajoer lodeh … are examples of dishes and ingredients that have become part of Dutch cuisine,” says Hulst. “However, to adapt to Dutch tastes, and for economic reasons, many of these dishes were modified over time.”
Star stockists
Many of the key elements a budding home cook might need in order to whip up an authentic Indonesian classic can be found within Yakso’s wholly organic range.
Consumers don’t want to spend hours zigzagging across town, shopping in multiple stores to get their hands on the goods for their Saturday night dinner party; and this is where indie health store retailers can capitalize on a blossoming trend.
A well-stocked shelf highlighting the rich, diverse flavours of Indonesia can ensure not only an efficient shopping trip for local home cooks, but can encourage word of mouth recommendations and repeat business as your store cements itself as a destination for fans of Indonesian cuisine — this year’s hottest food fashion.
Meet the Yakso range
Spice Paste Nasi/Bami, rich in organic spices, onion and garlic, is a good starting point for rice- or noodle-based meals.
Sweet, salty, syrupy condiments Ketjap Manis and Ketjap Asin are hailed as ‘indispensable in the kitchen’.
Sambal Oelek is ‘the basis for all other types of sambal’; fresh chilli, vinegar and salt bring a bang to any dish.
Soto Katjang is the building blocks for a spicy peanut soup, featuring turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, nutmeg and parsley. Yakso recommends packing the soup with fresh veg and topping with a boiled egg for authenticity.
Sateh Sauce – a familiar flavour to many Brits – pairs well with the brand’s Tempeh for a peanut-flavoured, protein-packed snack.
By Rosie Greenaway, editor