Here in Indonesia we have many dishes that could evoke nightmares for those who are not particularly adventurous.
Since the country is very vast and very diverse, the term “popular" would probably associated more with regional or island wide popularity rather than a country wide thing.
Here are some of them.
Paniki.
Paniki means Bat, in this case Fruit Bat. Everything that uses this flying fox can be called Paniki. It's very popular on the island of Sulawesi but especially in the north where the craze has helped the region’s tourism industry.
The mammal can either be grilled
or stewed.
Lawar.
This spicy red dish from the island of Bali is actually a simple combination of coconut shreds and shredded pork. What makes it “unique” is the use of half cooked pigs blood as a coloring agent.
The use of blood also has a spiritual meaning behind it.
Grilled Rat.
The name explains everything. Its rat on a stick basically. As far as i know it can be found in East Nusa Tenggara province (east of Bali) and the island of Sulawesi.
Bear in minds that the rat used for this dish is either wild forest rat or the plump paddy rat and not the disease ladden house rat.
Sate Biawak (Monitor Lizard Sate).
Many people still believes in traditional medicine and this dish is the result of that. Lizards meat are consumed by those who want to increase their sexual drive, kinda like a Viagra. You can find it many of Indonesia's big cities.
Turtle Eggs.
To be honest turtle eggs is probably one of the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. Maybe I’m guilty for consuming it. But it's very creamy, very rich and it doesn't smell funky. The texture reminds me of a liquid cheese.
Turtle is an endangered species world wide and we should be mindful of that sad fact before thinking of consuming it.
Sago Worm.
It's a type of tree larvae native to Indonesia. It can be found inside a sick Sago palm. Forest people consume this larvae as an alternative to bush meat and it's actually very healthy. Low in fat, high in mineral content and rich in protein.
Grilling it is the best way to prepare the worm.
Rujak Cingur (Cows Nose/Snout Salad).
This dish originated in the city of Surabaya. It's just like another regular Indonesian salad or Rujak, but what makes it different is the use of cows snout or nose as a substitute for chicken or red meat. The meat has a gelatinous texture.
Jengkol (Dog Fruit).
Jengkol is the fruit a local pea plant native to Southeast Asia. It's has a dark husk and a very unforgiving smell. It's also mildly poisonous. The taste and texture of the fruit depends on how we prepare it. Because consuming it raw is not encourage many household in Indonesia prepared the fruit in a spicy stew.
Sambal Petai (Stinky Beans Sambal).
This is another popular “stinky” plant in the country. Petai is part of the pea family that looks pretty similar to an unripe tamarind. It can be consumed raw but most household made a delicious sambal from it. Beware though, just like Jengkol consuming excessive amount of Petai can lead to mild poisoning and kidney problems. Not to mention your urine will smell like a concentrated Ammonia.
Indonesia is a heaven for culinary adventure and each region has something to offer for those who dare to try.Dian Ardiansyah
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