Because it is rich in spices and variants, Javanese food is very popular in various parts of Indonesia. From the savory, sweet taste, to the bite of Javanese chili sauce, you may be confused about which Javanese dish to choose. Javanese cuisine is also often a tourist attraction for international visitors to Indonesia, such as tempeh and tofu which are quite popular in Germany. Here are 15 Javanese specialties that you must eat at least once!
1. Rawon
You can immediately identify this Javanese food by the black sauce and a pinch of bean sprouts on the surface. Rawon’s distinctive black color comes from kluwek, and is generally eaten with white rice, crackers, and complementary side dishes such as salted eggs or crackers.
2. Tahu Petis
This processed tofu comes from the city of Semarang. Tahu petis is fried tofu pong with petis seasoning inside and served with cayenne pepper. There is also a variant of fried tofu doused with petis sauce. This sauce is made from fish or shrimp stew that is cooked until thickened.
3. Tongseng
For spicy food fans, you must taste the tongseng. This Javanese dish is made from cooking meat that is still attached to the bones, especially the ribs and spine. Tongseng generally uses goat meat, although there are also beef and buffalo tongseng. Tongseng is also usually added with vegetables such as cabbage, garlic, tomatoes, and soy sauce.
4. Soto Kudus
As can be guessed from its name, Soto Kudus is a typical Soto from the Kudus area. This soup is served in a small bowl and initially uses buffalo meat as the main meat. Gradually this meat is replaced by chicken meat which is more tender and can be cooked quickly. In the dish there are also sprouts and boiled eggs as the main complement.
5. Garang Asem
As the name implies, this Javanese dish is sour-spicy dish with coconut milk and wrapped in banana leaves. Some variations do not use banana leaves, but on a plate so that they can be eaten immediately.
6. Pecel Lele
Pecel catfish stalls can be found in almost every area of Indonesia. Thanks to its taste that matches Indonesian tastes and affordable prices, it is not difficult for pecel catfish to become everyone’s favorite Javanese dish. Pecel catfish itself generally consists of spicy chili sauce and fresh vegetables, making it suitable as a daily food for many people.
7. Mie Lethek
Because of its messy shape, these noodles are also often referred to as dirty noodles. However, this noodle is so delicious that it became one of President Obama’s favorite dishes in 2017. These noodles are made from cassava and tapioca flour which give the noodles a soft texture so that they can be processed into fried noodles, boiled or processed with rice. These noodles can be enjoyed with eggs, chicken, lentils, celery, and carrots.
8. Gudeg
Masakan asal Yogyakarta ini terbuat dari buah nangka muda yang dimasak dengan satan dan gula serta daun jadi untuk menghasilkan warna cokelat. Teknik memasaknya juga membutuhkan waktu berjam-jam agar bumbu masakan yang meresap. Gudeg biasanya disajikan dengan sayur krecek, telur bacem, tahu, ayam kampung dan santan kental.
9. Rujak Cingur
Cingur berarti mulut sapi, dan seperti namanya, rujak ini memiliki bahan utama daging mulut sapi yang diberi potongan buah dan sayur dengan siraman bumbu rujak cingur. Bumbu ini diolah dari cabe, petis, gula merah, bawang putih, kacang goreng yang diulek.
10. Lodho Chicken
This dish is made from processed free-range chicken that is burned and then cooked again with coconut milk and spicy spices. Lodho chicken texture is very soft and tender. Lodho chicken has a biting spicy taste thanks to the spices and chili.
11. Tahu Tek
The name of this dish comes from the sound of scissors tapping on the plate, causing a ‘tek-tek-tek’ sound. This tofu is processed with a lot of seasoning, rice cake, small bean sprouts and sprouts as the main ingredients. Tofu is half cooked and doused with petis seasoning. Some variants add french fries, bean sprouts, and cucumber slices.
12. Gandul Rice
This rice is served on a banana leaf with a side dish of beef smothered in fresh gravy. The rice in this dish is cooked savory with pandan leaves and can also be accompanied by eggs and spicy gravy.
13. Dawet Ireng
This Javanese food can actually also be classified as a drink with black dawet from straw ash in the process of making cendol. The sweet taste of dawet is very suitable to be eaten in hot weather.
14. Sate Bundel
This dish is prepared with minced mutton wrapped in a thin layer of fat and grilled. This satay is then added with soy sauce seasoning, sliced shallots, and cabbage leaves, as well as lime and cayenne pepper to create the best taste when served.
15. Wajik Cake
With the basic ingredients of glutinous rice cooked with a mixture of brown sugar, generally, the diamonds have a brown color. Now these snacks have developed a variety of more attractive colors, so they are often used as souvenirs and afternoon snacks.
If you have never tried the Javanese dish as above, it’s time for you to order a serving of Javanese food to experience the delicacy of Javanese cooking for yourself. Some of the foods above are suitable to eat when it rains considering that Indonesia is currently entering the rainy season. Happy dining!
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