50 Type of Indonesian Street Food and Snacks

Indonesia is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising thousand of Island and have 34 province. Indonesia is called heterogeneous countries because each island and province/area in Indonesia have different ethnic,  language and culture. This heterogeneous also can be seen from there is so many type of Indonesian foods. Each province/area from north to south, east to west have have different variety of foods.

Besides normal main course, Indonesia people also like to eat snack which in Indonesia often called as “gorengan” or kue. Gorengan is Indonesian fritter usually fried in ample of hot cooking oil. Kue in Indonesian language is used to refer to not only these kinds of traditional snack, but also all types of cake and some types of pastries. Kue are more often steamed than baked and normally have sweet taste, but some are savory. Kue are categorized under jajanan pasar (market buys) and gorengan  classified as street foods. Here’s some type of traditional kue, gorengan and other Indonesian snacks:

1. Kue Lemper

Lemper is one of Indonesia traditional kue made of glutinous rice filled with chicken, fish or abon (meat floss) and wrapped inside a banana leaf.  It is taste like you eating rice but in the small portion and have smell of banana leaf.

 

2. Rissole

Rissole (prounanced ‘riss-ol-less) is Indonesia snack which made from batter in the same fashion as a flat pancake. Usually rissole filled with a mixture of minced meat, beans and carrots wrapped inside thin flour omelette and fried in ample of hot cooking oil. You can find this snack in all area in Indonesia.

 

3. Dadar Gulung

Dadar Gulung is traditional kue from Indonesia. It is made of grated coconut with coconut sugar wrapped inside thin omelette made of rice flour. The dadar (omelette) usually colored green or white yellow.

 

 

4. Kerak Telor

Kerak telor is original snack from Jakarta (Betawi) and you only can find in Jakarta or some area of java. It is made from white glutinous rice, egg ,ebi which roasted dry and on the top of it puts with sugar, chilli, salt, and the coconut which roasted dry.

 

5. Lapis Legit

Lapis Legit (English: layers cake) or often known spekkoek is the Dutch – Indonesia cake. The cake is consists of many thin layers of cake which made from egg yolks, butter, sugar, cinnamon, clove. In Indonesia, there are many varieties of lapis legit, including the cake containing almonds, cashew nuts, cheese, prunes or raisins, and even cakes flavored with chocolate and pandanus . You can find this cake in the cake shop around Indonesia.

 

6. Bika Ambon

Bika Ambon is a popular and specialty cake from Medan, North Sumatra. Although the name contain the word “Ambon”name of one province in Indonesia, the cake is only you can find in Medan especially in the area of Petisah. It is made from ingredients such as tapioca, sago flour, yeast and coconut milk. Bika Ambon has unique spongy texture as result of the yeast which creates bubbles. The cake generally sold in pandanus flavor, although now available also other flavors like banana, durian, cheese, chocolate.

7. Getuk

Getuk or gethuk is a traditional snack from Javanese, Indonesia. It is made of cassava and coconut sugar, served with sweetened grated coconut .Getuk has sweet flavor and moist soft texture. Nowadays, getuk have many color, flavor and variety such as the one mix with corn, palm sugar and etc. You can found this food in market or food vendors on the street.

 8. Kue Lupis

Lupis (pronounced Lopis) is original snack from Indonesia and made of glutinous rice covered with banana leaf. It is have sweet taste because of the granted coconut and the sauce which made of palm sugar and water from pandanus leaf. Lupis is a traditional Indonesia street food but nowadays is difficult to find the existence as the result many of Indonesia people make this at home.

 

9. Klepon

Klepon ( kelepon ) is traditional snack from Indonesia made of glutinous rice . It is have round shave and filled with red coconut sugar. To make Klepon you need to boil it in boiling water and then when is cold roller it with dessicated coconut. It is has sweet taste and you often can found this in market or some food vendors on the street.

 

10. Lemang

Lemang is a traditional food from Indonesian, Malaysian and Singapore. It is made of glutinous rice cooked in a hollowed bamboo stick lined with banana leaves. Lemang can be found throughout Indonesia, although nowadays quite difficult to find the existence. It is taste like you eating rice but the sticky one and it often served with dish like curry or rendang (Indonesia dish).

11. Bubur Sum sum/Cenil

Bubur sumsum have soft and sweet taste. It is one of traditional desert from Indonesia and made of rice flour, pandan leaf and coconut milk. Indonesian called this food as sweet porridge and usually it served with sauce which made from brown sugar. It is street food but you can also find this in restaurant serve as desert and some in  Indonesia market.

 

12. Bubuk Kacang Hijau/Merah/hitam

Bubur kacang hijau/merah (green bean/red porridge) is an Indonesian and Malaysian sweet dessert made from mung beans porridge with coconut milk and palm sugar or cane sugar. Same like Bubur Sum sum / cenil it is often called porridge because the ingredient (beans) is boiled till soft. In Indonesia you can found this food in “ warung”, a food vendor in the street, market and restaurant. A food vendor on the streets commonly served with black glutinous rice and accompanied with bread. The black glutinous rice (Indonesia: bubur ketan hitam) is also can be made as sweet porridge. Most of green bean porridge is served warm, however another variant with almost identical ingredients is served cold ( called es kacang hijau/hitam).

13. Onde - Onde

Onde – onde is made of wheat flour which fry or boil and in the top of it is sprinkled with sesame seed. It is commonly filled with cooked green bean but new variety is filled with corn and cheese. The outside texture is look hard but when you bite it is very soft.

 

 

14. Nagasari

Nagasari or kue pisang is a traditional steamed cake from Indonesia made from rice flour, coconut milk, sugar filled with slices of banana and wrapped in banana leaves before being steamed. It is have soft texture, sweet taste and smell of pandanus.

 

15. Bolu Kukus / Kue Mangkok

Bolu kukus (steam cake) or kue mangkok is a steamed bun made of wheat flour, egg, baking powder, soft drink, and essence vanilla or chocolate. It has same texture like muffins but with different flavor. In Indonesia, you can find this snack in market or shop sell traditional Indonesia food.

16. Tahu Isi

Tahu isi (filled tofu) is a popular snack in Indonesia and classified as “gorengan” (Indonesia fritter). It is made from deep fried tofu coated with wheat flour and filled with mix of meat, spring onion, garlic, salt and egg.

 

17. Kue Ombusombus

Kue ombus-ombus is specialty snack from siborong – borong, North Tapanuli, North Sumatra. This snack has similar taste and texture with kue putu bamboo. In Indonesia, you only can find this snack in North Sumatra. It is usually served warm and has sweet taste because filled with red coconut sugar. The main ingredient to make ombus – ombus is rice flour and banana leaf.

 

18. Wajik

Wajik is one of traditional snack from Indonesia. It is made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, palm sugar, and pandanus leaf. It has brown color and sweet taste because of the palm sugar.

 

 

19. Pisang Molen

Pisang molen is a fried banana wrapped in stripe of wheat flour dough. It has hard texture from outside but crispy and soft inside.

 

 

 

 20. Keripik

Keripik or kripik is snack in slice form and usually made from yam, fruits or vegetable cooked in deep fried. The dominant tastes of keripik are salty or spicy or sweet or crispy or combine off all taste. There are so many types of keripik such as keripik pisang (banana), singkong (cassava), kentang (potato), manga (mango), nangka (jack fruit) and etc. Keripik is popular snack in Indonesia, you can find it everywhere in supermarket located in Indonesia. There is also some type of keripik you only can find in specific area such as Keripik sanjay (spicy cassava) in Minangkabau and Keripik pisang cokelat ( Banana chocolate), in province Lampung.

21. Rempeyek

Rempeyek or peyek is fried snack made of rice flour, garlic mix with water. Usually peyek is filled with peanut or soybean, or anchovey, ebi or small prawn. Other variety of rempeyek is the one made from spinach leaves. Rempeyek is popular snack in Indonesia like keripik.

 

22. Kue Gemblong

Gemblong is traditional food from Indonesia and made of flour white glutinous rice. Gemblong is cooked in deep fried and then coated with solution of palm sugar. It has sweet taste and round shave like a ball. Nowadays, is difficult to find the shop which sell gemblong.

 

23. Ongol ongol

Ongol ongol is one of traditional and specialty food from area of west java, Indonesia. It is made of sago flour, dry palm sugars, water, pandanus leaf, salt and grated coconut.It has chewy texture and sweet flavor.

24. Cireng

Cireng (Indonesia: aci digoreng) is a snack from Sunda, Indonesia and classified as gorengan ( Indonesia fritter). It is made of  tapioca, wheat flour, garlic and fried in ample of hot cooking oil. You can find this snack in food vendor on the street.

 

25. Combro

Combro is traditional snack from area west Java, Indonesia. It is made of cassava and filled with sambal oncom which made from Tempe. Combro also classified as gorengan (Indonesia fritter) and you can find it in food vendors on street in the area of Java such as Jakarta, Bandung and etc.

 

26. Dodol

Dodol is a sweet toffee-like confection, popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Burma. It is made from coconut milk, Jagger, and rice flour. In Indonesia there is many variant of dodol such as dodol garut , dodol durian, dodol nangka (jackfruit), dodol apel Malang (apple) dodol susu (milk) and etc. You can buy this  in supermarket or food shops selling souvenir and etc.

27. Cenil

Cenil or centil is food made of cassava starch. Same like ongol – ongol , cenil have chewy texture and sweet taste because it is served with grated coconut and sugar.  you can  found this in market or food vendor on the street.

 

28. Tape

Tapai or tape is food make from fragmentation process of  carbohydrate  food as a substrate by yeast. It is classified as desert in Indonesia and the neighbor countries and usually made of yam, cassava or beras ketan. It is have sweet sour taste, moist soft  texture and contain of alcohol.

29. Klappertart

Klappertaart or klapertart is speciality cake from Manado, Indonesia. Klappertaart is made from wheat flour, maizena flour, fresh milk, margarine cream, beaten egg, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon and raisins cooked in oven.

 

 

30. Panada

Panada is cake adaptation from culinary Manado with Netherlands or Portuguese. Same like Klappertaart, Panada is also popular snack from Manado, Indonesia. It have same shape like pastel but filled with cakalang fish ( Manado dish) which cooked and give spices.

 

 

31. Pukis

Pukis is traditional kue from Indonesia and it modification of waffle. It is street food made of egg, sugar, wheat flour and coconut milk. There is much variety of pukis such as chocolate, cheese or peanut.

 

 

32. Pancake Durian

Pancake Durian is most known as specialty food from Medan, North Sumatra. Not like normal pancake, Durian pancake is made of wheat flour , egg, coconut milk, pandanus leaf and filled with Durian. Although now you can found it in many area of Indonesia but the famous one is from Medan.

 

33. Bakwan

Bakwan is classified as gorengan (Indonesian fritter ) and commonly consisting of vegetables and batter cooked in deep fried. It is have similarity like yasai tenpura (vegetable tempura) in Japan. Other variety is the one which put prawn or ebi.

 

34. Kerupuk

Krupuk or kerupuk is well known snack in Indonesian, Malaysian, Dutch and usually eats with rice or other street foods. Kerupuk which sell in supermarket or market have small and hard texture, not until you cooked in deep fried then you can get the real kerupuk which you can eat.In Indonesia there is many variety of krupuk such as kerupuk mede from seafood (shrimp, fish, or squid), kerupuk made from rice, fruits, nuts or vegetables. Krupuk udang (prawn cracker) is the popular one in Indonesia and the most known brand is Finna and Komodo brand.

35. Kue ketawa

Kue Ketawa is made from wheat flour, sugar and sesame seed . Although have similar shave with onde – onde, kue ketawa have hard texture and not filled with anything inside. It is usually served as snack in afternoon tea.

 

36. Martabak

In Indonesia there is two type of Martabak: a Martabak egg and Martabak manis or Terang bulan. Murtabak egg are made of egg, minced meat (beef or chicken, sometimes mutton), garlic, onion, sliced green onion and served with pickles/condiments or Kari (Curry) gravy.

 

Meanwhile, Martabak Manis ( Terang Bulan) is baked on a pan filled with crushed peanuts, chocolate sprinkles, cheese or other stuff. It taste sweet and have spongy texture inside while crispy in outside.

37. Kue putu / Putu Mayang / Putu Bambu

Kue putu Ayu or kue putri ayu ( English: putu cake) is Indonesia traditional snack made of tepung beras, air daun suji pandanus leaf and usually server with grated coconut . Kue putu usually white or green color and have sweet taste and smell of pandanous leaf . There is many variety of Kue Putu, such as Putu mayang and putu Bambu. Putu Mayam (English: string hoppers)is almost same like putu ayu but have noodles shape and different colors and served with palm sugar. Meanwhile putu bamboo is same like ombus – ombus but have cylinder shape filled with red coconut sugar. You can find this cake in market or on the street vendors commonly sell on sunset until night.

38. Pisang goreng 

Pisang goreng (English: fried banana) is introduced in 1511 by the Portuguese as a breakfast staple.Now, it is a popular snack food found throughout Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. In Indonesia, pisang goreng is often sold by street vendors and classified as gorengan ( Indonesian fritter). Although some restaurant sell pisang goreng but usually more in sophisticated and different taste such as Pisang goreng with jam, condensed milk, or chocolate. As for the ingredient other than banana you can use cassava, tempe and etc.

39. Manisan Buah

Manisan buah (crystallized fruit or glace fruit) is fruits which soaked in solution of sugar for some time. There is three type of manisan: manisan basah ( wet crystallized fruit), manisan kering ( dry crystallized fruit) and acar. Commonly fruit use for manisan are mango, salak, papaya, fruit star, jack fruit, yam bean and many more.

40. Singkong rebus 

Singkong rebus ( Cassava boil) is made from Cassava cooked with steam instead of fried it. Besides cassava you also can use other ingredient such as potato, peanut, banana and many more.

 

 

41. Kue Bawang

Kue Bawang is a popular snack in Indonesia made of wheat flour, sago flour, coconut milk, celery ,red onion, egg and  fried in ample of hot cooking oil.

 

 

42. Bolu Meranti

Same like Bika Ambon, Bolu Meranti is a specialty cake from Medan, North Sumatra. It is often known as souvenir from Medan. The cake have smooth , fresh texture and have many variety flavor such as cheese, blueberry, strawberry , choclate and etc. You can find the original shop which sold bolu meranti in Jalan Kruing No 2 K, Medan North Sumatra.

43. Pisang Sale

Pisang sale is snack made of banana which cut slice and dried. It is original food from, Cilacap, Middle of java, Indonesia. Pisang Sale have many varieties flavor such original or cheese.

 

 

44. Kembang Loyang

Kue Kembang Goyang is traditional snack from Betawi, Indonesia. It is made of wheat flour, sago flour, egg, sugar, coconut milk which fried in ample of hot cooking oil.

 

 

 

45. Tahu Gejrot

Tahu Gejrot is a spicy tofu dish food from Cirebon, a port town in West Java, Indonesia. Tahu gejrot consists of deep fried tofu, served with a sauce made from coconut sugar, sweet soy sauce, chili, garlic and shallot.

 

46. Brownis Kukus

Brownies Kukus (Steam brownies) is a specialty cake from Bandung, Indonesia . It is have moist soft texture and, sweet flavor. Brownies kukus is very popular and often buy as souvenirs from Bandung . Besides original brownies, there is also many other variety such as Cream Cheese , Blueberry, Choco Marble, Sarikaya Pandanus and and  also pastries and roasted brownies. Although now the cake already sell in other area of Indonesia, but the original one and the famous shop is Amanda and Kartika Sari in Bandung.

 

 47. Srabi

Serabi, surabi or called srabi is an Indonesian traditional pancake that is made from rice flour with coconut milk or just plain shredded coconut as an emulsifier or sometime pandanus leaf juice might be added into this batter mixture to add aroma as well as greenish color. It is tastes sweet because usually served with thick golden-brownish colored coconut sugar syrup.

 

48. Kue Cantik Manis

Kue cantik manis is one of traditional kue from Indonesia. It is have sweet soft texture and colorful exterior. Kue cantik manis is made of hunkwe flour, coconut milk, pandanus leaf and red and green color sago pearls.

 

 

49. Kue Lapis

Kue Lapis is layered colorful cake from Indonesia and usually sell in market or street vendors. Although have same name with kue lapis legit but Kue lapis have different texture and flavor. Kue lapis is  made of glutinous rice flour, coconut and sugar. It has sweet taste and colorful sticky texture.

 

 

50. Kue Cucur

Kue Cucur is traditional kue from Indonesia. It is Indonesia pancake made of fried rice flour batter and coconut sugar. It have spongy texture and sweet taste.

 

 

Many of Indonesian food and snack are made from ingredients such as sago flour, cassava, coconut, banana leaf, palm sugar,  pandanus leaf and etc. Some ingredients are difficult to find in other countries except those countries in southeast Asia.  For example is pohon sagu /sago tree (sago flour) is the plant that only found in tropical lowland forest and freshwater swamps across Southeast Asia and New Guinea.

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