If Indonesia is on that list for you, try these amazing snacks from the region.
Food is one of the best things about traveling. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “foodie” trying new foods from different regions can be an exciting part of visiting new areas. Making and eating regional specialties can also be a nice way to simulate travel to new places or to recreate your favorite vacation memories. If Indonesia is on that list for you, try these amazing snacks from the region.
Bakso Goreng
Bakso goreng is a fried meatball snack. The balls are made from a meat mixture (usually chicken, beef, fish, pork, and/or shrimp) mixed with eggs, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and sesame oil. They are then deep-fried until golden and served with a chile sauce.
Batagor
Batagor is a fried fish dumpling. The fish that makes up the filling for these dumplings is usually wahoo, but tuna, shrimp, and mackerel are also popular. The fish is often mixed with potatoes, tofu, or cabbage. The dumplings are cut into small pieces and deep-fried. These snacks make a perfect street food because they’re quick to make and easy to eat. Batagor is usually topped with peanut, soy, or chili sauce.
Pempek
Pempek is a fish cake dish that is often served with noodles or rice and sliced cucumbers. The cakes are made of ground-up fish mixed with tapioca flour that is steamed and then deep-fried. They are usually served with a sweet-and-sour sauce
Kripik
Kripik is a deep-fried chip dish. The chips are made from an assortment of ingredients, including fish, vegetables, or fruit. Common base ingredients include banana, cassava, taro, breadfruit, jackfruit, and others (including durian).
Lemper
Lemper is the perfect snack on-the-go, made from glutinous rice, stuffed with meat, and rolled in tinfoil or a banana leaf. The most common meats for this snack are shredded chicken, fish, or meat floss (abon).
Rujak
Rujak is a traditional fruit salad, usually using seasonal fruits that are sour or bland that gets topped with a sweet-spicy dressing. Common fruits used in this salad are unripe mangoes, java apples, June plums, papaya, and pineapple. The dressing usually is a mix of fried peanuts, tamarind paste, hot chili peppers, water, and occasionally shrimp paste (leave this out for a vegetarian variety).
Pisang Goreng
Pisang goreng is traditional street food, usually found at food carts or stalls. This deep-fried snack is a fried banana or fried plantain, often served with powdered sugar or cinnamon or drizzled with chocolate.
Gorengan
Gorengan is a deep-fried fritter that is made with ingredients that are usually chopped up and mixed into an egg batter (though occasionally, the ingredients are simply dipped in the batter and fried). Bananas, sweet potatoes, tofu, and cassava are some of the most common ingredients for gorengan.
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