
Javanese cuisine () is the cuisine of
Javanese people
The Javanese ( , ; ) are an Austronesian peoples, Austronesian ethnic group native to the central and eastern part of the Indonesian island of Java. With more than 100 million people, Javanese people are the largest ethnic group in both Indo ...
, a major
ethnic group
An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...
in Indonesia in the provinces of
Central Java
Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...
,
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
, and
East Java
East Java (, , ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the easternmost third of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern ...
.
Definition
Javanese cuisine refers exclusively to the cuisine of Javanese people, which is often brought to other regions and countries by Javanese diaspora or foreign descents who have lived in Java.
There are several native ethnic groups who live on the island of Java (
Sundanese,
Madurese,
Betawi, etc.) as well as other peoples of foreign descents. In Indonesian language, Javanese refers to people of Javanese ethnic background.
Javanese cuisine is thought to be sweet, since this is the taste traditionally preferred in Yogyakarta. However, Javanese regions do not only include Yogyakarta.
On the northern and northeastern of Central Java, for instance, the taste tends to be salty and spicy. In East Java, the level of spiciness increases. Today, as Javanese people become more mobile and may move to different regions, this typical stereotype of preferred regional tastes is outdated.
History

Ancient dishes and recipes were mentioned in numbers of Javanese ''prasasti'' (inscription) and modern historians have succeeded in deciphering some of them. The inscriptions from
Medang Mataram era circa 8th to 10th century mentioned several ancient dishes, among others are ''Hadangan Harang'' (water buffalo minced meat satay, similar with today Balinese ''sate lilit''), ''Hadangan Madura'' (water buffalo meat with sweet palm sugar), and ''Dundu Puyengan'' (eel seasoned with lemon basil). Ancient beverages include ''Nalaka Rasa'' (
sugarcane juice
Sugarcane juice is the liquid extracted from pressed sugarcane. It is consumed as a beverage in many places, especially where sugarcane is commercially grown, such as Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, North Africa, mainly Egypt, and also ...
), ''Jati Wangi'' (jasmine beverage), and ''Kinca'' (fermented
tamarind juice). Also various ''Kuluban'' (boiled vegetables served in spices, similar with today ''
urab'') and ''Phalamula'' (boiled yams and tubers served with liquid palm sugar).
In
Javanese culture
Javanese culture () is the culture of the Javanese people.
Javanese culture is centered in the provinces of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java in Indonesia. Due to various migrations, it can also be found in other parts of the world, such as ...
, food is an integral part of traditional ceremonies. For example, ''
selamatan'' ceremony, often performed as a symbol of gratitude, is usually involving a communal feast where participants, guests, and attendees are invited to eat together. Food is usually prepared, cooked and served together. It also symbolizes ''gotong-royong'' (working together), ''guyub'' (harmonious communal spirit), abundance, and gratitude.
Most of Javanese cuisine is natively developed. Many of the foods have been absorbed to modern Indonesian culture as "national dishes". Some of them have inspired many other regional dishes, such as, lontong (Jav. Lonthong), tumpeng, krupuk, jajan pasar, and many more.
Foreign influences on Javanese food can be seen in some food, such as
bakmi
''Bakmi'' ( and ) or ''bami'' (, , , ) are a type of wheat-based noodles derived from Chinese cooking tradition. They were brought to Indonesia by Chinese immigrants from southern Chinese provinces like Fujian. They are typically seasoned wi ...
and
nasi goreng
''Nasi goreng'' (English pronunciation: ), (Indonesian language, Indonesian and Malay language, Malay for 'fried rice') is a Southeast Asian rice dish with pieces of meat and vegetables added. It can refer simply to fried pre-cooked rice, a me ...
(Chinese),
satay
Satay ( , in the US also ), or sate in Indonesia, is a Javanese cuisine, Javanese dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay originated in Java, but has spread throughout Indonesia, into Southeast Asia, Europe, ...
(Arab) and kari (Indian).
Ingredients
Rice
Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
is an important food crop in Java, dating back to ancient times. The Javanese are known to revere
Dewi Sri
Dewi Sri or Shridevi ( Javanese: ꦢꦺꦮꦶꦱꦿꦶ, Balinese: , Dewi Sri, Sundanese: , Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri) is the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese Hindu Goddess of rice and fertility, still widely worshiped on the islands of Ja ...
as the Rice Goddess.
Steamed rice
Cooked rice refers to rice that has been cooked either by steaming or boiling. The terms steamed rice or boiled rice are also commonly used. Any variant of Asian rice (both indica and japonica varieties), African rice or wild rice, glutino ...
is the common staple food, and is served at every meal. ''
Tumpeng
Tumpeng (Javanese script, Javanese: ; Balinese script, Balinese: ) is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian cone-shaped rice dish with side dishes of vegetables and meat originating from Javanese cuisine. Traditionally featured in the ''slametan'' ...
'', a cone-shaped yellow rice is essential in
slametan
The slametan (or selametan, slamatan, and selamatan) is the communal Banquet, feast from Java, symbolizing the social unity of those participating in it. Clifford Geertz considered it the core ritual in Kebatinan, Javanese religion, in particular ...
, Javanese traditional ceremonies. Rice can be processed into ''
lontong
''Lontong'' () is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a Cylinder (geometry), cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Rice is rolled inside a bana ...
'' or ''
ketupat
''Ketupat'' (in Indonesian and Malay), or ''kupat'' (in Javanese and Sundanese), or ''tipat'' (in Balinese) is a Javanese rice cake packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch. Originating in Indonesia, it is also ...
'', or cooked in coconut milk as ''
nasi liwet
Nasi may refer to:
Food Dishes
Nasi Goreng is an Indonesian and Malay word for ''cooked rice'', featured in many Southeast Asian dishes
*Nasi goreng, a popular rice dish often simply called ''nasi''
*Other Southeast Asian ''nasi'' dishes:
**Nasi ...
'' or colored with
turmeric
Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...
as ''
nasi kuning'' (yellow rice). Other sources of
carbohydrate
A carbohydrate () is a biomolecule composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms. The typical hydrogen-to-oxygen atomic ratio is 2:1, analogous to that of water, and is represented by the empirical formula (where ''m'' and ''n'' ...
such as ''
gaplek'' (dried
cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
) is sometimes mixed into rice or replaces rice. ''
Gaplek'' is usually consumed by poor commoners during hard times when rice is scarce.
Tubers
Tubers are a type of enlarged structure that plants use as storage organs for nutrients, derived from stems or roots. Tubers help plants perennate (survive winter or dry months), provide energy and nutrients, and are a means of asexual reprod ...
such as
yam,
taro
Taro (; ''Colocasia esculenta'') is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, stems and Petiole (botany), petioles. Taro corms are a ...
, and
sweet potato
The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...
are consumed as snacks in between meals.
Bread
Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...
and
grain
A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...
s other than rice are uncommon, although
noodle
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures and made into a variety of shapes. The most common noo ...
s and
potato
The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...
es are often served as accompaniments to rice. Potatoes are often boiled then mashed, shaped into discs, spiced, coated in beaten
eggs and fried into ''
perkedel
''Perkedel'' are vegetable fritters from Indonesian cuisine. Most common ''perkedel'' are made from mashed potatoes, yet there are other popular variations, such as ''perkedel jagung'' (peeled maize ''perkedel'') and ''perkedel tahu'' (tofu ''p ...
''. Wheat noodles, ''bihun'' (
rice vermicelli
Rice vermicelli is a thin form of rice noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch r ...
), and ''
kwetiau'' are influences of
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine comprises cuisines originating from Greater China, China, as well as from Overseas Chinese, Chinese people from other parts of the world. Because of the Chinese diaspora and the historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine ...
. The Javanese adopted these ingredients and made them their own by adding ''
kecap manis
Sweet soy sauce (; ) is a sweetened aromatic soy sauce, originating in Indonesia, which has a darker color, a viscous syrupy consistency, and a molasses-like flavor due to the generous addition of palm sugar or jaggery. ''Kecap manis'' is widely ...
'' (sweet soy sauce) and local spices to create ''
bakmi Jawa'',
''bakmi rebus'', and ''
bihun
Rice vermicelli is a thin form of rice noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch r ...
goreng''. Vegetables feature heavily in Javanese cuisine, notably in vegetable-heavy dishes such as ''
pecel
Pecel (, Javanese:ꦥꦼꦕꦼꦭ꧀) is a traditional Javanese salad with peanut sauce, usually eaten with steamed rice, ''lontong'' or '' ketupat''.
The simplicity of its preparation and cheap price has contributed to its popularity throug ...
'',
''lotek'', and ''
urap''.
Coconut milk
Coconut milk is a plant milk extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of the milky-white liquid are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingred ...
,
peanut sauce
Peanut sauce, satay sauce (saté sauce), ''bumbu kacang'', ''sambal kacang'', or ''pecel'' is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian sauce made from ground roasted or fried peanuts, widely used in Indonesian cuisine and many other dishes throughout t ...
, ''gula jawa'' (
palm sugar
Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar may be qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed simila ...
), ''asem jawa'' (
tamarind
Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this spe ...
), ''
petis'', ''
terasi'' (shrimp paste),
shallot
The shallot is a cultivar group of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as the difference was t ...
,
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
,
turmeric
Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...
,
galangal
Galangal () is a rhizome of plants in the ginger family Zingiberaceae, with culinary and medicinal uses originating in Indonesia. It is one of four species in the genus ''Alpinia'', and is known for its pungent, aromatic flavor. Greater gal ...
,
ginger
Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...
, and chili ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
'' are common ingredients and spices that can be found in Javanese cuisine. Freshwater fishes such as
carp
The term carp (: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family (biology), family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized game fish, quarries and a ...
,
tilapia
Tilapia ( ) is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the coelotilapine, coptodonine, heterotilapine, oreochromine, pelmatolapiine, and tilapiine tribes (formerly all were "Tilapiini"), with the economically mos ...
,
gourami
Gouramis, or gouramies , are a group of fresh water, freshwater Anabantiformes, anabantiform fish that comprise the family (biology), family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from the Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia and northeas ...
and
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order (biology), order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Catfish are common name, named for their prominent barbel (anatomy), barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, though not ...
are popular, while seafood such as
tuna
A tuna (: tunas or tuna) is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bul ...
,
red snapper,
wahoo
The wahoo (''Acanthocybium solandri'') is a scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. In Hawaii, the wahoo is known as ono. The species is sometimes called hoo in the United States. It is best known to sports fishermen, a ...
,
ray,
anchovy
An anchovy is a small, common forage fish of the Family (biology), family Engraulidae. Most species are found in marine waters, but several will enter brackish water, and some in South America are restricted to fresh water.
More than 140 speci ...
,
shrimp
A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...
,
squid
A squid (: squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight cephalopod limb, arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also ...
, and various
salted fish
Salted fish, such as kippered herring or dried and salted cod, is fish cured with dry salt and thus preserved for later eating. Drying or salting, either with dry salt or with brine, was the only widely available method of preserving fish unt ...
are popular in coastal Javanese cities.
Chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
,
goat meat
Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat (''Capra hircus''). The term 'goat meat' denotes meat of older animals, while meat from young goats is called 'kid meat'. In South Asian cuisine, goat meat is called mutton, along with sheep meat.''O ...
,
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
,
lamb and mutton
Lamb and mutton, collectively sheep meat (or sheepmeat) is one of the most common meats around the world, taken from the domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries'', and generally divided into lamb, from sheep in their first year, hogget, from sheep in thei ...
are popular meats in Javanese cuisine. Next to common farmed chicken, the ''ayam kampung'' or
free-range chicken, is popular and valued for its leaner, more natural flavors. Almost 90% of Javanese are
Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
, and consequently, much of Javanese cuisine omits
pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...
. However, in small enclaves of
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
Javanese population around
Muntilan
Muntilan is an administrative district ( ''kecamatan'') in the Magelang Regency, Central Java. Muntilan is about 15 km south of Magelang, 10 km from Mungkid, 25 km north of Yogyakarta, and 90 km from the main town of Semarang located on the no ...
,
Magelang
Magelang () is one of six cities in Central Java, the Central Java Province of Indonesia that are administratively independent of the regencies in which they lie geographically. Each of these cities is governed by a mayor rather than a Subdivi ...
,
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
, and
Klaten, pork might be consumed. Few ethnic groups in Indonesia use pork and other sources of protein considered ''
haram
''Haram'' (; ) is an Arabic term meaning 'taboo'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowledge; or, in direct cont ...
'' under Muslim dietary laws in their cuisine, most prominently
Balinese cuisine
Balinese cuisine is a cuisine tradition of Balinese people from the volcanic island of Bali. Using a variety of spices, blended with the fresh vegetables, meat and fish. Part of Indonesian cuisine, it demonstrates indigenous traditions, as well a ...
,
Indonesian Chinese cuisine
Chinese Indonesian cuisine (, ) is characterized by the mixture of Chinese with local Indonesian style. Chinese Indonesians, mostly descendant of Han ethnic Hokkien and Hakka speakers, brought their legacy of Chinese cuisine, and modified s ...
,
Batak cuisine
Batak cuisine is the cuisine and cooking traditions of Batak ethnic groups, predominantly found in Northern Sumatra region, Indonesia. Batak cuisine is part of Indonesian cuisine, and compared to other Sumatran cuisine traditions, it is more i ...
, and
Manado cuisine
Minahasan cuisine or Manado cuisine is the cooking tradition of the Minahasan people of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is popularly known as "Manadonese cuisine" after Manado, the capital of the province, although other cities in Northern Sulawe ...
.
Outlets
Javanese households usually purchase fresh ingredients from the local market every morning, cook and serve them in the late morning to be mainly consumed for lunch. The leftovers are stored to be heated again for family dinner. Other than homemade family dishes, Javanese cuisine are served from humble street-side carts and ''
warung
A warung ( old spelling: waroeng or warong) is a type of small family-owned business — small retail, eatery, or café — in Indonesia. A ''warung'' is an essential part of daily life in Indonesia. Over time, the term ''warung'' has sh ...
''s, to fancy restaurants in five-star hotels. Small family-run ''
warung
A warung ( old spelling: waroeng or warong) is a type of small family-owned business — small retail, eatery, or café — in Indonesia. A ''warung'' is an essential part of daily life in Indonesia. Over time, the term ''warung'' has sh ...
''s are the budget options for street food, serving everything from family dishes for full meals, or snack foods. The popular simple Javanese cuisine establishments are the budget food of ''Warung Tegal,'' which are mainly established by Javanese from
Tegal city, and the ''Angkringan'' street-side carts in Yogyakarta and Solo that sold cheap
''sego kucing'' and various ''wedang'' (hot beverages).
In Javanese tradition, it is common to dine in ''lesehan'' style, which is sitting cross-legged on the mat while dining in front of a short-legged table. It was started as a ''warung'' lesehan street food dining popular among tourists along
Malioboro
''Jalan Malioboro'' (; ) is a major shopping street in Yogyakarta (city), Yogyakarta, Indonesia; the name is also used more generally for the neighborhood around the street. It lies north–south axis in the line between Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadi ...
street in Yogyakarta. Today, Javanese ''lesehan'' food stalls can be found in several cities, including Surakarta, Semarang and Jakarta.
File:Food at Warung Tegal.jpg, Food display in ''warung Tegal''.
File:Satay Seller Java.jpg, Street-side Javanese chicken satay vendor near Borobudur
Borobudur, also transcribed Barabudur (, ), is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang Regency, near the city of Magelang and the town of Muntilan, in Central Java, Indonesia.
Constructed of gray andesite-like stone, the temple consi ...
.
File:Lesehan Malioboro Yogyakarta.jpg, ''Lesehan'' sit on the mat dining at Malioboro street, Yogyakarta.
File:ANGKRINGAN PAK BAGONG.jpg, ''Angkringan'' food stall.
Central Javanese cuisine
The food in
Central Java
Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...
is influenced by the two ancient kingdoms of
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
and
Surakarta
Surakarta (Javanese script, Javanese: , Pegon script, Pegon: ), known colloquially as Solo (Javanese script, Javanese: ; ), is a major List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city in Central Java, Indonesia. The city adjoins Karanganyar Reg ...
(also commonly known as Solo). Most of Central Javanese dishes are indigenously developed, however in coastal cities such as
Semarang
Semarang (Javanese script, Javanese: , ''Kutha Semarang'') is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Netherlands, Dutch Dutch East Indies, colonial era, and is still an important regio ...
and
Pekalongan
Pekalongan () is a city of Central Java, Indonesia. It was formerly the seat of Pekalongan Regency on the northern coast of the province, but is now an independent municipality within the province. It covers a land area of 45.25 km2 and had a p ...
, notable
Chinese influences can be seen, such as ''
lumpia
''Lumpia'' are various types of spring rolls commonly found in Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian and Filipino cuisine, Filipino cuisines. Lumpia are made of thin paper-like or crêpe-like pastry skin called "lumpia wrapper" enveloping savory or ...
'' (spring roll) and ''
bakmi Jawa''. While in the royal court of Surakarta, the European influences can be seen, such as ''bistik Jawa'' and ''selat Solo''. Many of Central Java-specific dishes contain the names of the area where the food first became popular, for example:
Semarang

* ''Bandeng'' Juwana: processed tender boned
milkfish
The milkfish (''Chanos chanos'') is a widespread species of ray-finned fish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. It is the sole living species in the family Chanidae, and the only living member of the genus ''Chanos''.
The repeating scientific na ...
originated from the fishing town of
Juwana, east of Semarang. Although originated, produced and processed in Juwana, it is largely sold in Semarang.
* ''
Lumpia
''Lumpia'' are various types of spring rolls commonly found in Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian and Filipino cuisine, Filipino cuisines. Lumpia are made of thin paper-like or crêpe-like pastry skin called "lumpia wrapper" enveloping savory or ...
''
Semarang
Semarang (Javanese script, Javanese: , ''Kutha Semarang'') is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Netherlands, Dutch Dutch East Indies, colonial era, and is still an important regio ...
: fried or steamed spring rolls. The filling varies, but consists mainly of meat and
bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...
shoots. It is served with sweet fermented soybean sauce (''
tauco'') or sweet
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
sauce. Another accompaniment is ''acar'' (Indonesian-style sweet and sour
cucumber
The cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.[tofu
or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...]
, and served with a sweet-salty
coconut milk
Coconut milk is a plant milk extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of the milky-white liquid are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingred ...
gravy.
* ''
Roti ganjel rel'', rectangular shaped brown bread with sesame seeds, flavored with cinnamon and palm sugar. Usually served during Dugderan and
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...
.
*
''Soto'' Semarang: a chicken soup in a small personal serving; mixed with rice, ''perkedel'', and satay of cockles, chicken intestines, and
quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy.
Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...
eggs. One of the famous ''Soto Semarang'' is ''Soto Bangkong''. Named after Bangkong crossroad in Semarang.
* ''Wingko'' Babat: a cake made largely of
glutinous rice
Domestication syndrome refers to two sets of phenotypic traits that are common to either domesticated plants or domesticated animals.
Domesticated animals tend to be smaller and less aggressive than their wild counterparts; they may also hav ...
and desiccated coconut, toasted and sold warm. Although it originated from Babat, East Java, it is popular in Semarang. Care should be taken to differentiate between Babat and ''babat''. Babat is a city in East Java, part of the North Coast Road and where ''wingko'' Babat came from, while ''babat'' is
tripe
Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various farm animals. Most tripe is from cattle and sheep.
Types
Beef
Beef tripe is made from the muscle wall (the interior mucosal lining is removed) of a cow's stomach chambers: th ...
, an ingredient often used for Indonesian cuisine in general.
Jepara

*
''Soto'' Jepara
Jepara is a town in the province of Central Java, Indonesia. Jepara is on the north coast of Java, northeast of Semarang, not far from Mount Muria, with a population of 85,970 in mid 2024.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Kabup ...
: ''soto'' is a common Indonesian soup, usually infused with
turmeric
Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...
, and can be made with chicken, beef, or mutton. The version from Jepara, a Central Javanese town, is made of chicken.
*
''Opor panggang'': a typical ''
opor'' from Jepara. It is a kind of ''
opor ayam
Opor ayam () is an Indonesian dish from Central Java consisting of chicken cooked in coconut milk.Patrick Witton and Mark Elliott (2003)''Lonely Planet Indonesia'' Lonely Planet Publications, p. 108 The spice mixture (''bumbu'') includes galan ...
'' but with distinctive flavor, since the chicken used in this dish is first roasted in a clay cauldron.
* ''
Kuluban'': traditional salad from
Jepara Regency
Jepara () is a regency in the northeast of the Indonesian province of Central Java. It covers an area of 1,020.25 km2 and had a population of 1,097,280 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 1,184,947 at the 2020 census;B ...
.
* ''
Kelap antep'': dish made from lean meat, ginger, bay leaves, red onion, garlic, red chili, tamarind, sugar, and others.
* ''Horok-horok'': steamed corn starch. After being cooked, corn starch is then poured into jars and stirred with a comb. So although chewy and tough, it is shaped in small granules resembling
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a brand of closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), manufactured to provide continuous building insulation board used in walls, roofs, and foundations as thermal insulation and as a water barrier. This material is light blue in ...
. To add flavor, a pinch of salt can be added. This dish can be served as an accompaniment to meatballs, ''gado-gado'', ''pecel'', or satay ''kikil'' (beef tendon).
* ''Hoyok-hoyok'': also called ''oyol-oyol'', is a dish made from tapioca flour mixed with water and oil, then served with extra grated coconut. ''Hoyok-hoyok'' is a sweet version of ''horok-horok''.
* Jepara shrimp soup: similar to shrimp soup in general. This version of soup use shrimp broth and fried shrimp, also raw crushed chili. This soup is delicious eaten while still hot or warm.
* Jepara ''pangsit'' soup: considered as a fusion cuisine, this dish is a blend of local and foreign cuisines, i.e. Javanese, Dutch, and Chinese. The ''pangsit'' (dumpling) in this soup is not like the dumpling we know, but rather in the form of a clear soup with shrimp egg rolls. This is one of the favorite dishes of
R.A. Kartini.
* ''Bongko mento'': originated in Jepara palace, it is a snack wrapped in a banana leaf. Consists of omelet filled with sauteed shredded chicken breast mixed with oyster mushrooms, glass noodles, and coconut milk.
* ''Lontong krubyuk'': similar to ''
lontong
''Lontong'' () is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a Cylinder (geometry), cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Rice is rolled inside a bana ...
'' dishes in general, this dish consists of rice cake served with shredded chicken meat stews doused in ''bakso'' soup and garnished with a mixture of half-cooked bean sprouts and sliced celery. What distinguishes this from other ''lontong'' dishes, this dish is served with a lot of soup.
* ''Singit'': beef shank cooked in coconut milk, soy sauce, salt, red chili, garlic, onion, and brown sugar, over low heat until the sauce thickens.
* ''Semur'' Jepara: made of meat, salt, pepper, nutmeg powder, soy sauce, cooking oil, and others.
* ''Sayur pepaya'' Jepara: a vegetable stew usually served in the afternoon. The main ingredients are young papaya, coconut milk, beef stew, and others.
* ''Sayur asem'' Jepara: similar to
sayur asem Jakarta.
* ''Sayur betik'': a vegetable stew, using young unripe papaya and beef trimming as the main ingredients.
* ''Gule petih'' Jepara: made of tender goat meat and spice mixture. Usually served during
Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr () is the first of the two main Islamic holidays, festivals in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide becaus ...
and
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha () is the second of the two main festivals in Islam alongside Eid al-Fitr. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. Celebrations and observances are generally carried forward to the ...
.
* ''Laksa'' Jepara: made of chicken fillet, banana shrimp, chicken stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, salt, sugar, oil, and other ingredients.
* ''Sayur keluak ayam'': made of vegetables,
keluak and chicken.
* ''Kagape kambing'': a dish made of goat meat. Easily found during
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha () is the second of the two main festivals in Islam alongside Eid al-Fitr. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. Celebrations and observances are generally carried forward to the ...
.
* ''
Bakso'' Karimunjawa: meatballs soup made from fish, instead of beef or chicken.
* ''
Tongseng cumi'': ''tongseng'' made of calamari or squid, instead of goat or chicken.
* ''Rempah'' Jepara: a dish made from grated coconut, fish, and others.
* ''Bontosan'': a dish of mashed grouper or mackerel mixed with rice powder and shaped into spindles, wrapped in banana leaves or plastic, steamed, then thickly sliced, and served with sauce or gravy. ''Bontosan'' is actually the pre-dried form of fish crackers. It can also be served after being shallow-fried until the outside is crisp and golden brown. Similar in taste to ''
pempek
''Pempek'', ''mpek-mpek'' and also known as colloquially as ''empek-empek'' is a savoury Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian fishcake delicacy, made of Fish as food, fish and tapioca, from Palembang, South Sumatera, Indonesia. Pempek is served with a ...
''.
* ''Sate sapi'' Jepara: satay made of cow meat mixed with spices typical of Jepara.
* ''Sate kikil'': a satay dish made of ''kikil'' (beef tendon), also called satay ''cecek.'' Usually served with ''horok-horok''.
* ''Pecel ikan laut panggang'': roasted saltwater fish served with coconut milk sauce.
* ''Tempong'': uncooked dried anchovy, shaped like fritter.
Kudus
* ''Jenang'' Kudus: A sweetmeat made from rice flour, palm sugar, and coconut milk.
*
''Opor bakar''
*
''Soto'' Kudus: ''soto'' is a common Indonesian soup usually infused with
turmeric
Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...
, and can be made with chicken, beef, or mutton. The version from Kudus, a Central Javanese town, is made of chicken.
Pati

* ''Bandeng presto'': is a
pressure cooked milkfish that soften the finer fish bones. The pressure cooking also help the spices to seep into the flesh of milkfish perfectly.
* ''
Nasi gandul'': is beef served on white steamed rice poured with spicy savoury soup, served on banana leaf.
* ''Petis runting'': is a kind of gulai typical culinary of Pati. Soupy but somewhat viscous, made from a rather coarse rice flour roasted with goat meat and ''balungan'' or goat bones, including bone marrows, and usually enjoyed while it hot to avoid the fatty bone marrow coagulating.
* ''Sayur mangut'': is a hot and spicy Ariid catfish head cooked in coconut milk.
* ''Sayur tempe bosok'': is a kind of curry-soup made from stinky over-ripe (almost rotten) tempeh. Popularly consumed during the rainy season against the cold.
* ''Soto kemiri'': is a common Javanese chicken soup spiced with candlenut.
Yogyakarta

* ''
Ayam geprek'': crispy
battered fried chicken
Fried chicken, also called Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...
crushed and mixed with hot and spicy ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
''.
* ''
Ayam goreng Kalasan
Kalasan (, Javanese language, Javanese: ꦕꦟ꧀ꦝꦶꦏꦭꦱꦤ꧀, ''Candhi Kalasan''), also known as Candi Kalibening, is an 8th-century Buddhist temple in Java, Indonesia. It is located east of Yogyakarta (city), Yogyakarta on the way to ...
'': chicken stewed in
coriander
Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual plant, annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae.
Most people perceive the ...
,
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
,
candlenut
''Aleurites moluccanus'', commonly known as candlenut, is a tree in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It grows to about tall and produces drupe fruit.
First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, the species' origin is unclear due to its spread b ...
, and coconut water, then deep-fried until crispy. Served with ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
'' and raw vegetables.
* ''
Bakpia'' and ''
bakpia pathok'': a sweet pastry filled with sugared mung bean paste, derived from the Chinese pastry. A well-known bakpia-producing area is Pathok near
Jalan Malioboro, where ''
bakpia Pathok'' is sold.
* ''Belalang goreng'': fried
grasshopper
Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are amongst what are possibly the most ancient living groups of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago.
Grassh ...
dish.
* ''
Brongkos'': spicy meat and ''tolo'' beans (black-eyed peas) stew in coconut milk and ''kluwek'' soup with other spices.
* ''
Gudeg
Gudeg is a traditional Javanese cuisine, Javanese dish from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is made from young, unripe jackfruit (, ) stewed for several hours with palm sugar and coconut milk. It is variously spiced with garlic, shallot, candlenut, c ...
'': a traditional food from Yogyakarta and
Central Java
Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...
made from young unripe ''nangka'' (
jack fruit) boiled for several hours with
palm sugar
Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar may be qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed simila ...
and
coconut milk
Coconut milk is a plant milk extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of the milky-white liquid are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingred ...
. This is usually accompanied by ''
opor ayam
Opor ayam () is an Indonesian dish from Central Java consisting of chicken cooked in coconut milk.Patrick Witton and Mark Elliott (2003)''Lonely Planet Indonesia'' Lonely Planet Publications, p. 108 The spice mixture (''bumbu'') includes galan ...
'' (chicken in coconut milk), ''
telur pindang'' (hard boiled egg stew), and ''
krechek'' (spicy beef skin and tofu stew). ''Gudeg'' from Yogyakarta has a unique sweet and savory taste, and is drier and more reddish than other regional variants because of the addition of Javanese
teak
Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panic ...
leaf.
* ''Kipo'': derived from the
Javanese question ''Iki opo?'' ("What is this?"), a small sweet snack from
Kotagede made of glutinous rice flour and coconut milk dough filled with grated coconut and palm sugar.
* ''
Krechek'' (also known as ''krecek'' or ''sambal goreng krechek''): a traditional spicy beef skin dish made from seasoned ''
krupuk kulit'' (beef skin crackers). ''Krechek'' is usually served as a side dish together with ''gudeg''.
* ''
Nasi kucing
''Nasi kucing'' (; , ) is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian rice dish that originated in Central Java, primarily in the Yogyakarta, Semarang, and Surakarta areas but has since spread throughout the country. It consists of a small portion of ric ...
'': rice with small side dishes.
Solo

* ''
Bakso'' Solo: bakso literally means meatballs, made of
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
, and served in boiling hot soup with
mung bean
The mung bean or green gram (''Vigna radiata'') is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract Green Mung Bean Extract Powder Phaseolus aureus Roxb Vigna radiata L R Wilczek. MDidea-Extracts P ...
-thread noodles, green vegetables, shredded
cabbage
Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...
, and various sauces (chili, tomato). This version from Solo has super-sized meatballs, the size of tennis balls. Also known as ''Bakso Tenis''. ''
Bakso'' is a Chinese-influenced dish, but has become a popular snack throughout Indonesia.
*
''Bistik'' Jawa: Javanese
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
steak
A steak is a cut of meat sliced across muscle fibers, sometimes including a bone. It is normally Grilling, grilled or Pan frying, fried, and can be diced or cooked in sauce.
Steaks are most commonly cut from cattle (beefsteak), but can also ...
, a European-influenced dish from
Solo.
* ''
Nasi liwet
Nasi may refer to:
Food Dishes
Nasi Goreng is an Indonesian and Malay word for ''cooked rice'', featured in many Southeast Asian dishes
*Nasi goreng, a popular rice dish often simply called ''nasi''
*Other Southeast Asian ''nasi'' dishes:
**Nasi ...
'': a rice dish cooked in
coconut milk
Coconut milk is a plant milk extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of the milky-white liquid are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingred ...
and
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
broth, served with meat and vegetable side dishes.
*
''Sate buntel'' (lit: wrapped satay): Minced fatty beef or goat meat, encased in
caul fat
Caul fat, also known as lace fat, omentum, or fat netting, is the thin Biological membrane, membrane which surrounds the organ (anatomy), internal organs of some animals, such as cows, sheep, and pigs, also known as the greater omentum in anatomy ...
and wrapped around a bamboo skewer then grilled. The size of this satay is quite large, very similar to a Middle Eastern
kebab
Kebab ( , ), kebap, kabob (alternative North American spelling), kebob, or kabab (Kashmiri spelling) is a variety of roasted meat dishes that originated in the Middle East.
Kebabs consist of cut up ground meat, sometimes with vegetables an ...
. After being grilled on
charcoal
Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, ca ...
, the meat is separated from the skewer, cut into bite-size chunks, then served in sweet soy sauce and ''merica'' (
pepper).
*
''Selat'' Solo: a
salad
A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...
consisting of stewed
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
,
lettuce
Lettuce (''Lactuca sativa'') is an annual plant of the family Asteraceae mostly grown as a leaf vegetable. The leaves are most often used raw in Green salad, green salads, although lettuce is also seen in other kinds of food, such as sandwiche ...
,
carrot
The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild ...
, green bean, and potato chips or
French fries
French fries, or simply fries, also known as chips, and finger chips (Indian English), are '' batonnet'' or '' julienne''-cut deep-fried potatoes of disputed origin. They are prepared by cutting potatoes into even strips, drying them, and f ...
in sweet spiced dressing.
* ''Sosis'' solo, Javanese sausages made from beef or chicken and coated by egg.
* ''
Srabi'' Solo: a pancake made of coconut milk, mixed with a little rice flour as thickener. ''Srabi'' can be served plain or with toppings, such as sliced
banana
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
, chopped
jackfruit
The jackfruit or ''nangka'' (''Artocarpus heterophyllus'') is a species of tree in the Common fig, fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae).
The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as in weight, in length, and in d ...
, chocolate sprinkle (
muisjes), or
cheese
Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...
.
* ''
Tongseng'': a strongly spiced curry of bone-in mutton, which is quickly stir-fried at the point of sale with vegetables added.
* ''Tengkleng'':
goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...
ribs and
offal
Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the internal organ (anatomy), organs of a butchered animal. Offal may also refer to the by-products of Milling (grinding), milled grains, such as corn or wheat.
Some cultures strong ...
in a curry-like soup, similar to
''gule kambing'', but with a lighter and thinner soup.
* ''
Timlo'' Solo: a beef and vegetable soup. Some versions also have noodles.
Banyumas

Refers to Javanese cultural region of Western Central Java bordering West Java, including
Banyumas
Banyumas (, formerly spelled "Banjoemas") Regency is an inland regency () in the southwestern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is the town of Purwokerto, but that town no longer has a central administration and is split o ...
,
Tegal,
Brebes,
Cilacap
Cilacap Regency (, also spelt: Chilachap, old spelling: Tjilatjap, Sundanese language, Sundanese: ) is a Regencies of Indonesia, regency () in the southwestern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is the town of Cilacap, which ...
,
Kebumen,
Purbalingga
Purbalingga ( Javanese: ꦥꦸꦂꦧꦭꦶꦁꦒ) is a town and district in Central Java Province of Indonesia and the seat of Purbalingga Regency.
Villages
The district includes 11 urban villages (''kelurahan'') and 2 rural villages (''desa' ...
, and
Banjarnegara
Banjarnegara is a town in Central Java, Indonesia and the seat of Banjarnegara Regency. It is 55 km from the Dieng Plateau region and a centre for ceramic arts.
Climate
Banjarnegara has a tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest c ...
.
* ''
Nasi bogana''
Tegal: a steamed rice dish wrapped in banana leaves and served with a variety of side dishes.
* ''Sate'' Tegal or ''Sate Balibul'': juvenile (five-month-old) goat
satay
Satay ( , in the US also ), or sate in Indonesia, is a Javanese cuisine, Javanese dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay originated in Java, but has spread throughout Indonesia, into Southeast Asia, Europe, ...
from Tegal, noted for its tender meat.
* ''Sate'' Ambal: a satay variant from Ambal, Kebumen, Central Java. This satay uses ''ayam kampung (''free-range chicken). The sauce is not made from peanuts, but rather ground tempeh, chili, and spices. The chicken is marinated for about two hours to make the meat tastier. This satay is served with ''
ketupat
''Ketupat'' (in Indonesian and Malay), or ''kupat'' (in Javanese and Sundanese), or ''tipat'' (in Balinese) is a Javanese rice cake packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch. Originating in Indonesia, it is also ...
''.
* ''Sroto'' Sokaraja: a variant of
''soto'' from Sokaraja, Banyumas.
*
Tempeh ''mendoan'': fried battered
tempeh
Tempe or tempeh (; , ) is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. A fungus, '' Rhizopus oligosporus'' or '' Rhizopu ...
from Banyumas.
Other Central Javanese cuisine
* ''Bakmoy'': small cubes of fried tofu, chicken, and boiled egg served with chicken broth and relish made from sweet soy sauce.
* ''
Kamir
Kamir, also known as khamir or samir (; Pegon script, Pegon: ) is a round-shaped bread that almost similar to appam, apem or pancake, consists of flour, butter, and egg mixture, sometimes mixed with other fillings ingredients such as banana, tap ...
'': round-shaped bread that almost similar to
apem, consisting of flour, butter, and egg mixture.
* ''Krechek'': spicy stew made from
skin cracker, potato and soy beans.
* ''
Mie kopyok'' (lit. shaked noodles): a noodle soup made of garlic broth, rice cake, fried tofu, and rice cracker.
* ''Mie ongklok'': boiled noodles were made using cabbage, chunks of chopped leaves, and starchy thick soup called ''loh''. Usually served with
satay
Satay ( , in the US also ), or sate in Indonesia, is a Javanese cuisine, Javanese dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay originated in Java, but has spread throughout Indonesia, into Southeast Asia, Europe, ...
and
tempeh
Tempe or tempeh (; , ) is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. A fungus, '' Rhizopus oligosporus'' or '' Rhizopu ...
.
* ''Nasi megono'', rice dish with chopped young
jackfruit
The jackfruit or ''nangka'' (''Artocarpus heterophyllus'') is a species of tree in the Common fig, fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae).
The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as in weight, in length, and in d ...
mixed with coconut and other spices.
* ''
Sate''
Blora
Blora () is a regency in the northeastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is the town of Blora. The regency is located in the easternmost part of Central Java and borders the Bengawan Solo River and the East Java pr ...
: chicken satay from Blora area.
* ''Sop senerek'', traditional soup from Magelang with beef, red bean, carrot, tomato, celery, and
fried shallots.
* ''
Swikee
''Swikee'' or ''Swike'' is a Chinese Indonesian cuisine, Chinese Indonesian Frog legs, frog leg dish. The dish can be served as soup, deep fried or stir fried frog legs. Originally a Cuisine of China, Chinese dish, this dish is popular in Indones ...
''
Purwodadi: frogs' legs cooked in fermented soybean (''
tauco'') soup.
East Javanese cuisine
The East Javanese cuisine is largely influenced by
Madurese cuisine - Madura being a major producer of
salt
In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...
, hence the omission of
sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose
Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...
in many dishes. Many of the East Javanese dishes are also typically Madurese, such as
''soto'' Madura and ''
sate'' Madura, usually sold by Madurese settlers. Notable Arabic and Indian cuisine influence also can be found such in the coastal cities of
Tuban
Tuban is a town located on the north coast of Java, in Tuban Regency (of which the town is the administrative capital), approximately west of Surabaya, the capital of East Java. Tuban Regency is surrounded by Lamongan Regency in the east, Bojo ...
,
Gresik,
Surabaya
Surabaya is the capital city of East Java Provinces of Indonesia, province and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strai ...
,
Lamongan, and
Sidoarjo
Sidoarjo Regency () is a regency in East Java, Indonesia. It is bordered by Surabaya City and Gresik Regency to the north, by Pasuruan Regency to the south, by Mojokerto Regency to the west, and by the Madura Strait to the east. It has a l ...
, due to the large number of
Arab
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
ic descendants in these cities. Although there are many dishes with town names attached to them, local versions of these are available in every town. The most popular town-associated dishes are:
Madiun

* ''
Brem'' Madiun: fermented sugar and
cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
cakes.
* ''
Pecel
Pecel (, Javanese:ꦥꦼꦕꦼꦭ꧀) is a traditional Javanese salad with peanut sauce, usually eaten with steamed rice, ''lontong'' or '' ketupat''.
The simplicity of its preparation and cheap price has contributed to its popularity throug ...
''
Madiun
Madiun () is a city in the western part of East Java, Indonesia, known for its agricultural center. The city has been administratively separate from the surrounding Madiun Regency since the formation of the two bodies in 1950, but the city remain ...
: a salad of boiled vegetables, dressed in a
peanut
The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), goober pea, pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics by small and large ...
-based spicy sauce. It is usually served as an accompaniment to rice. A peanut or dried fish/
shrimp
A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...
cracker (''rempeyek'') is served on the side. Not to be confused with ''
pecel lele'', which is deep-fried local
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order (biology), order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Catfish are common name, named for their prominent barbel (anatomy), barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, though not ...
served with ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
''.
Lamongan
* ''
Ayam penyet'': fried chicken (see ''
ayam goreng''), lightly smashed using a pestle in a mortar laced with ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
''.
* ''Bebek goreng'': deep fried
duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...
, similar to
duck confit.
* ''Pecel lele'': deep fried
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order (biology), order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Catfish are common name, named for their prominent barbel (anatomy), barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, though not ...
with ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
'', vegetables, and
rice
Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
.
*
''Soto'' Lamongan: chicken soup originated from the town of Lamongan.
* ''
Tahu campur'': fried
tofu
or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...
, served in ''
petis''-based beef stew.
Surabaya

* ''
Ayam penyet'': "smashed chicken", fried chicken that is smashed with the pestle against mortar to make it softer, served with sambal, slices of cucumbers, fried tofu and tempeh.
* ''Lontong kupang'':
lontong
''Lontong'' () is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a Cylinder (geometry), cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Rice is rolled inside a bana ...
with small cockles in
petis sauce.
* ''
Rawon'' Surabaya: a dark beef soup, served with
mung bean
The mung bean or green gram (''Vigna radiata'') is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract Green Mung Bean Extract Powder Phaseolus aureus Roxb Vigna radiata L R Wilczek. MDidea-Extracts P ...
sprouts and the ubiquitous ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
''. The dark (almost black) color comes from the kluwak (''Pangium edule'') nuts.
*
''Rujak cingur'': a marinated
cow
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are called co ...
snout or lips and noses (''cingur''), served with boiled vegetables and shrimp crackers. It is then dressed in a sauce made of caramelized fermented shrimp paste (''
petis''), peanuts,
chili, and spices. It is usually served with ''
lontong
''Lontong'' () is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a Cylinder (geometry), cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Rice is rolled inside a bana ...
'', a boiled rice cake. ''Rujak cingur'' is considered traditional food of
Surabaya
Surabaya is the capital city of East Java Provinces of Indonesia, province and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strai ...
in
East Java
East Java (, , ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the easternmost third of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern ...
.
* ''Semanggi'': a salad made of boiled ''semanggi'' (''M. crenata'') leaves that grow in paddy fields. It is dressed in a spicy peanut sauce.
Madura
* ''
Sate''
Madura
is an list of islands of Indonesia, Indonesian island off the northeastern coast of Java. The island comprises an area of approximately (administratively including various smaller islands to the east, southeast and north that are administratively ...
: originating on the island of Madura, near Java, is a famous variant among Indonesians. Most often made from
mutton
Lamb and mutton, collectively sheep meat (or sheepmeat) is one of the most common meats around the world, taken from the domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries'', and generally divided into lamb, from sheep in their first year, hogget, from sheep in thei ...
or chicken, the recipe's main characteristic is the black sauce made from Indonesian sweet soy sauce (''kecap manis'') mixed with
palm sugar
Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar may be qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed simila ...
(called ''gula jawa'' or "Javanese sugar" in Indonesia),
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
, deep fried
shallot
The shallot is a cultivar group of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as the difference was t ...
s, peanut paste, ''petis'' (a kind of shrimp paste),
candlenut
''Aleurites moluccanus'', commonly known as candlenut, is a tree in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It grows to about tall and produces drupe fruit.
First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, the species' origin is unclear due to its spread b ...
, and salt. Chicken Madura satay is usually served in peanut sauce, while the mutton Madura satay is usually served in sweet soy sauce. Sate Madura uses smaller chunks of meat than other variants. It is eaten with rice or rice cakes wrapped in
banana
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
/coconut leaves (''lontong/ketupat''). Raw thinly sliced shallots and plain ''sambal'' are often served as condiments.
*
''Soto'' Madura
is an list of islands of Indonesia, Indonesian island off the northeastern coast of Java. The island comprises an area of approximately (administratively including various smaller islands to the east, southeast and north that are administratively ...
: a
turmeric
Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...
-based beef and
offal
Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the internal organ (anatomy), organs of a butchered animal. Offal may also refer to the by-products of Milling (grinding), milled grains, such as corn or wheat.
Some cultures strong ...
soup, served with boiled egg slices, and ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
''.
Malang

* ''
Bakso'' Malang: ''bakso'' literally means meatball. ''Bakso'' Malang has more accompaniments, beside the meatball (mostly beef) itself. For example, offal, ''
siomay'' dumplings (fried or steamed), ''tahu'' (tofu, fried or steamed, filled with meat), ''sound'' (mung bean threads), and yellow egg noodles. All of these are served in hot beef stock.
* ''Cwie mi'': a Chinese-influenced noodle dish, containing boiled and seasoned noodles, topped with pre-cooked minced meat (usually
pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...
or chicken) and boiled
wonton
A wonton ( zh, t=, s=馄饨, p=húntun, j=wan4 tan4, first=t) is a type of Chinese dumpling commonly found across regional styles of Chinese cuisine. It is also spelled wantan or wuntun, a transliteration from Cantonese zh, j=wan4 tan1, ...
. Similar to the Chinese
zhajiang mian.
Banyuwangi
* ''Bolu klemben'': cake with tortoise-like shape, made of mixture of flour, eggs, and sugar.
* ''
Botok tawon'': a type of
botok
''Botok'' or ꦧꦺꦴꦛꦺꦴꦏ꧀ ''(Bothok)'' (sometimes called ''Bobotok'' in its plural form or ''Botok-botok'') is a traditional Javanese dish made from grated coconut flesh which has been squeezed of its coconut milk, often mixed wi ...
that made from
bee larvae.
* ''
Pelasan'', Osing-style of
pepes
''Pepes'' is an Indonesian cooking method using banana leaves as food wrappings. The banana-leaf package containing food is secured with ''lidi seumat'' (a small nail made from the central ribs of coconut leaves) and then steamed or grilled on ...
food. The popular Osing pepes are ''pelasan teri'', ''pelasan tahu'' and ''pelasan ayam''.
* ''
Pindang koyong'': a fish cooked in yellow gravy-like
soto with various spices.
* ''
Rawon''
Banyuwangi
Banyuwangi, previously known as Banjoewangi, is a large town and an administrative district (''kecamat5an'') which serves as the capital of Banyuwangi Regency at the far eastern end of the island of Java, Indonesia. It had a population of 106,000 ...
: Banyuwangi-style of beef soup in dark gravy, served with mung bean sprouts and the ubiquitous sambal. The dark (almost black) color comes from the
keluak nuts.
* ''Rujak soto'': a unique blend of vegetable salad with
soto, it can be ''soto daging'' (beef) or ''soto babat''.
* ''Sale pisang'':
chips
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. After the final first-run telecast on NBC in May 1983, the series went into reruns on Sundays fr ...
-like snack that made of
bananas
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – berry (botany), botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa (genus), Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called pla ...
which are combed thin and then dried in the sun. After dried in the sun, it can be directly eaten or fried first.
Other East Javanese cuisine

* ''Kare rajungan'':
curry
Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internatio ...
dish cooked using
portunidae
Portunidae is a family of crabs which contains the swimming crabs. Its members include well-known shoreline crabs such as the blue crab (''Callinectes sapidus'') and velvet crab ('' Necora puber'').
Description
Portunid crabs are characterised b ...
.
* ''Lontong balap'': literally means "racing rice cake", which is a dish of rice cakes, fried tofu, and beansprouts, doused in ''
kecap manis
Sweet soy sauce (; ) is a sweetened aromatic soy sauce, originating in Indonesia, which has a darker color, a viscous syrupy consistency, and a molasses-like flavor due to the generous addition of palm sugar or jaggery. ''Kecap manis'' is widely ...
'' and ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
'' sauce. In the past, ''lontong balap'' hawkers carried their wares in a large, heavy metal urn. The heaviness caused them to have to walk really quickly while carrying it, so they looked like they were "racing".
* ''
Madumongso'': a sweetmeat made from fermented black glutinous rice, cooked in coconut milk and sugar. It is sticky and very sweet, and comes wrapped in panties.
* ''
Roti konde'': a type of roti canai. Their recipes are stolen from
Indian paratha
Paratha (, also parantha/parontah) is a flatbread native to the Indian subcontinent, with earliest reference mentioned in early medieval Sanskrit, India. It is one of the most popular flatbreads in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East.
...
.
* ''Sate'' Ponorogo: a variant of
satay
Satay ( , in the US also ), or sate in Indonesia, is a Javanese cuisine, Javanese dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay originated in Java, but has spread throughout Indonesia, into Southeast Asia, Europe, ...
originating in
Ponorogo
Ponorogo Regency (; ) is an inland Regency (Indonesia), regency () of East Java Province of Indonesia. It is considered the birthplace of Reog, Reog Ponorogo, a traditional Indonesian dance form. The regency covers an area of , and it had a popu ...
, a town in East Java. It is made from sliced marinated chicken, served with a sauce made of peanuts and chili, and garnished with shredded shallots, ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
'', and
lime juice. This variant is unique for the fact that each skewer contains one large piece of chicken, rather than several small cubes. The meat is marinated in spices and sweet soy sauce, in a process called "''bacem''" and is served with rice or ''lontong'' (rice cake). The grill is made from
terracotta
Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...
earthenware with a hole on one side to allow ventilation for the coals. After three months of use, the earthenware grill disintegrates and must be replaced.
* ''
Tahu campur'': a beef and offal soup, mixed with fresh vegetables,
potato
The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...
es, rice cake, and tofu. The secret ingredient is the caramelized fermented shrimp paste (''
petis'') which is mixed in just before serving.
* ''Tahu tek-tek'': a dish containing cut-up fried
tofu
or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...
, boiled vegetables (mostly beansprouts), potatoes, drenched in a peanut-based sauce. The sauce has caramelized fermented shrimp paste (''
petis''), chili, and
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
.
Common Javanese dishes
These common Javanese dishes can be found throughout Java.
* ''
Apem'', traditional cake of steamed dough made of
rice flour
Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening ...
, coconut milk, yeast and palm sugar, usually served with grated coconut.
* ''
Ayam bumbu rujak'', chicken dish made from chicken meat which is still young and uses a red basic spice then grilled. A red base is a spice made from salt, garlic, onion, and red chili.
* ''
Ayam goreng'',
fried chicken
Fried chicken, also called Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...
dish consisting of chicken deep fried in oil with various spices.
* ''
Ayam kecap'', chicken simmered or braised in
sweet soy sauce
Sweet soy sauce (; ) is a sweetened aromatic soy sauce, originating in Indonesia, which has a darker color, a viscous syrupy consistency, and a molasses-like flavor due to the generous addition of palm sugar or jaggery. ''Kecap manis'' is widel ...
.
* ''
Bakmi jawa'', wheat based noodle, generally prepared and topped with minced chicken seasoned in soy sauce, green vegetables and a bowl of
broth
Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...
.
* ''
Bakso'', ''bakso'' literally means
meatball
A meatball is ground meat (mince) rolled into a ball, sometimes along with other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, minced onion, eggs, butter, and seasoning. Meatballs are cooked by frying, baking, steaming, or braising in sauce. There are m ...
. Beef or chicken meatballs, usually served in a bowl of
broth
Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...
with yellow noodles,
rice vermicelli
Rice vermicelli is a thin form of rice noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch r ...
, vegetables, tofu, green cabbage, bean sprout, sprinkled with
fried shallots and celery.
* ''
Bakwan'', fried meal consisting of vegetables and batter. Bakwan usually refers to a vegetable fritter snack, commonly sold with
gorengan
A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables, or other ingredients which have been battered or breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-fried. Fritters are prepared in both sweet and savory var ...
.
* ''
Bergedel'', fried patties, made of ground potatoes, minced meat, peeled and ground corn or
tofu
or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...
, or minced fish.
* ''
Bergedel jagung'', corn fritters.
* ''
Botok
''Botok'' or ꦧꦺꦴꦛꦺꦴꦏ꧀ ''(Bothok)'' (sometimes called ''Bobotok'' in its plural form or ''Botok-botok'') is a traditional Javanese dish made from grated coconut flesh which has been squeezed of its coconut milk, often mixed wi ...
'', a dish made from shredded coconut flesh which has been squeezed of its coconut milk, often mixed with other ingredients such as vegetable or fish, and wrapped in banana leaf and steamed.
* ''
Brengkesan'', fish, meat, tofu, anchovy or mushroom ingredients cooked inside a banana-leaf package.
* ''
Bubur ayam
Bubur ayam ( Indonesian and Malay for "chicken congee") is a chicken congee dish served in Southeast Asia. It is rice congee with shredded chicken meat served with some condiments, such as chopped scallion, crispy fried shallot, celery, '' ton ...
'', rice
congee
Congee ( , derived from Tamil language, Tamil ), is a form of savoury rice porridge made by boiling rice in a large amount of water until the rice softens. Depending on rice–water ratio, the thickness of congee varies from a Western oatmeal ...
with shredded chicken meat served with some
condiment
A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to enhance the Flavoring, flavour, to complement the dish or to impart a specific flavor. Such specific flavors generally add sweetness or pungency, or sharp or piquant ...
s and cake.
* ''
Bubur kacang hijau
Bubur kacang hijau, abbreviated burjo, is a Southeast Asian sweet porridge (''bubur'') made from mung beans (''kacang hijau''), coconut milk, and palm sugar or cane sugar. The beans are boiled till soft, and sugar and coconut milk are added.
Sli ...
'', sweet dessert made from
mung bean
The mung bean or green gram (''Vigna radiata'') is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract Green Mung Bean Extract Powder Phaseolus aureus Roxb Vigna radiata L R Wilczek. MDidea-Extracts P ...
s
porridge
Porridge is a food made by heating, soaking or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal ...
with coconut milk and palm sugar or cane sugar. The beans are boiled till soft, and sugar and coconut milk are added.
* ''
Bubur ketan hitam
Bubur ketan hitam, bubur pulut hitam or bubur injun ( English: black sticky rice porridge) is an Indonesian sweet dessert made from black glutinous rice porridge with coconut milk and palm sugar or cane sugar. The black glutinous rice are boile ...
'', sweet dessert made from black
glutinous rice
Domestication syndrome refers to two sets of phenotypic traits that are common to either domesticated plants or domesticated animals.
Domesticated animals tend to be smaller and less aggressive than their wild counterparts; they may also hav ...
porridge with coconut milk and palm sugar or cane sugar. The black glutinous rice are boiled until soft, and sugar and coconut milk are added.
* ''Bubur sumsum'', white
congee
Congee ( , derived from Tamil language, Tamil ), is a form of savoury rice porridge made by boiling rice in a large amount of water until the rice softens. Depending on rice–water ratio, the thickness of congee varies from a Western oatmeal ...
made from rice flour and eaten with brown sugar sauce.
* ''
Buntil
Buntil is a traditional Indonesian- Javanese dish of grated coconut meat mixed with ''teri'' (anchovies) and spices, wrapped in papaya, cassava, or taro (or other similar aroids) leaves, then boiled in coconut milk and spices. It is a favourite ...
'', a traditional Javanese dish of scraped coconut meat mixed with
anchovies and spices, wrapped in a papaya leaf, then boiled in coconut milk.
* ''
Cah kangkung'', stir fried
water spinach.
* ''
Dawet'', an iced sweet
dessert
Dessert is a course (food), course that concludes a meal; the course consists of sweet foods, such as cake, biscuit, ice cream, and possibly a beverage, such as dessert wine or liqueur. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly umami, ...
that contains droplets of green rice flour jelly,
coconut milk
Coconut milk is a plant milk extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of the milky-white liquid are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingred ...
and palm sugar syrup.
* ''
Donat jawa'', Javanese-style of ring-shaped fritter made from cassava with savoury taste.
* ''Garang asem'', chicken dish cooked using banana leaves and dominated by sour and spicy flavor.
* ''
Gorengan
A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables, or other ingredients which have been battered or breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-fried. Fritters are prepared in both sweet and savory var ...
'', assorted fritters such as tempeh, tofu, yam, sweet potato, cassava, and chopped vegetables.
* ''
Gule'', a type of soupy curry-like dishes that could be made from various ingredients; meats, fish or vegetables. The gule that popular in Javanese cuisine both are ''gule kambing'' (made of goat or mutton) and ''gule ayam'' (made of chicken).
** ''
Gule ayam'', chicken cooked in a curry-like coconut milk soup.
**
''Gule kambing'', mutton cooked in a curry-like coconut milk soup.
* ''
Iga penyet'' (lit. squeeze ribs), fried beef spare ribs served with spicy sambal terasi. The fried beef ribs is squeezed against a mortar filled with sambal, and usually served with lalab vegetables and steamed rice.
* ''
Ikan asin'', salted and sun-dried fishes of various species.
* ''
Jenang'', sweet toffee-like sugar palm-based confection, made from coconut milk, jaggery, and rice flour, and is sticky, thick, and sweet.
* ''
Kare'', the Javanese adaptation of
curry
Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internatio ...
dishes. Just like gulai, it could be made from various ingredients; meats or vegetables.
* ''
Klepon'', glutinous rice balls stuffed with palm sugar, colored green using
pandanus
''Pandanus'' is a genus of monocots with about 578 accepted species. They are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics and subtropics. Common names include pandan, screw palm and screw pine. The genus is classified ...
leaf, and rolled in fresh grated coconut.
* ''
Keripik tempe'',
tempeh
Tempe or tempeh (; , ) is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. A fungus, '' Rhizopus oligosporus'' or '' Rhizopu ...
chips, made from thinly sliced, lightly battered, then deep fried tempeh (soybean cake).
* ''
Kupat'', rice
dumpling
Dumplings are a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough (made from a variety of starchy sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled wi ...
made from rice packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch.
* ''
Kwetiau ayam'', boiled
flat noodle with diced chicken.
* ''
Kwetiau goreng'', stir fried flat noodle dish.
* ''
Lepet
Lepet ( Javanese), Leupeut ( Sundanese), or Lepat ( Indonesian) is a type of sticky rice dumpling mixed with peanuts cooked with coconut milk and packed inside a '' janur'' (young coconut leaf) or palm leaf. It is a delicacy commonly found in ...
'', sticky rice
dumpling
Dumplings are a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough (made from a variety of starchy sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled wi ...
mixed with peanuts cooked with coconut milk and packed inside a ''janur'' (young coconut leaf) or
palm leaf.
* ''
Lontong
''Lontong'' () is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a Cylinder (geometry), cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Rice is rolled inside a bana ...
'', pressed
rice cake
A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten. Common variations include ...
inside banana wrapping.
* ''
Lumpia
''Lumpia'' are various types of spring rolls commonly found in Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian and Filipino cuisine, Filipino cuisines. Lumpia are made of thin paper-like or crêpe-like pastry skin called "lumpia wrapper" enveloping savory or ...
'',
spring roll
Spring rolls are rolled appetizers or dim sum commonly found in Chinese, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cuisines. The kind of wrapper, fillings, and cooking technique used, as well as the name, vary considerably depending on the region's cu ...
made of thin paper-like or crepe-like pastry skin called "lumpia wrapper" enveloping savory or sweet fillings.
*
''Lotek'', almost identical to ''
gado-gado
''Gado-gado'' ( Indonesian or Betawi) is an Indonesian salad of raw, slightly boiled, blanched or steamed vegetables and hard-boiled eggs, boiled potato, fried tofu and tempeh, and sliced ''lontong'' (compressed cylinder rice cake wrapped ...
'', but sweeter. It is similar to ''pecel'', but includes different vegetables as well as boiled egg slices and a garnish of fish or shrimp crackers and ''emping'' (''Gnetum gnemon L.'' nut, flattened, dried, and fried into small thin crackers).
* ''
Martabak
Murtabak, or Mutabbaq (, ), is a Yemeni stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread commonly found in the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia, notably in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Sout ...
'', stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread, sometimes filled with beef and scallions. Usually served with
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
s and
acar
Acar is a type of vegetable pickle of Maritime Southeast Asia, most prevalent in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It is a localised version of Indian '' achar''. It is known as atjar in Dutch cuisine, derived from Indonesian ''acar' ...
.
* ''
Mie ayam'', chicken
bakmi
''Bakmi'' ( and ) or ''bami'' (, , , ) are a type of wheat-based noodles derived from Chinese cooking tradition. They were brought to Indonesia by Chinese immigrants from southern Chinese provinces like Fujian. They are typically seasoned wi ...
dish of seasoned yellow wheat noodles topped with diced chicken meat.
* ''
Mie bakso'',
bakso served with yellow noodles and rice vermicelli
* ''
Mie goreng'', spicy fried noodle dish seasoned in
sweet soy sauce
Sweet soy sauce (; ) is a sweetened aromatic soy sauce, originating in Indonesia, which has a darker color, a viscous syrupy consistency, and a molasses-like flavor due to the generous addition of palm sugar or jaggery. ''Kecap manis'' is widel ...
. The popular one is ''mie goreng jawa''.
* ''Mie pangsit'', noodle soup dish served with soft-boiled
wonton
A wonton ( zh, t=, s=馄饨, p=húntun, j=wan4 tan4, first=t) is a type of Chinese dumpling commonly found across regional styles of Chinese cuisine. It is also spelled wantan or wuntun, a transliteration from Cantonese zh, j=wan4 tan1, ...
.
* ''
Mie rebus'', famous noodle dish which consists of noodles, salt and egg, served with a tangy, spicy and sweet potato-based sauce.
* ''
Nasi ambeng'', fragrant Javanese rice dish that consists of
steamed white rice, chicken
curry
Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internatio ...
or chicken stewed in soy sauce, beef or chicken
rendang
Rendang is a fried meat or dry curry made of meat stewed in coconut milk and spices, widely popular across Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, where each version is considered local cuisine. It refers to both a cooking m ...
, fried
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
,
urap,
bergedel, and
serundeng
Serundeng () refers to a Javanese spiced grated coconut side dish or condiment originated in Indonesia that is used to accompany rice. Serundeng may taste sweet or hot and spicy, according to the recipe variants.
Its best-known variant is an ...
.
* ''
Nasi goreng
''Nasi goreng'' (English pronunciation: ), (Indonesian language, Indonesian and Malay language, Malay for 'fried rice') is a Southeast Asian rice dish with pieces of meat and vegetables added. It can refer simply to fried pre-cooked rice, a me ...
'' (lit. fried rice), Javanese-style of Indonesian fried rice.
** ''
Nasi goreng jawa'', fried rice dish uses
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
ulek as seasoning and has a spicy taste.
* ''
Nasi kare'' (lit. curry rice), curry rice dish consists of steamed white rice,
lontong
''Lontong'' () is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a Cylinder (geometry), cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Rice is rolled inside a bana ...
or
ketupat
''Ketupat'' (in Indonesian and Malay), or ''kupat'' (in Javanese and Sundanese), or ''tipat'' (in Balinese) is a Javanese rice cake packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch. Originating in Indonesia, it is also ...
, curry, acar, fried shallots and sambals.
* ''
Nasi kuning'', similar to ''
nasi rames'' or ''
nasi campur
Nasi campur (Indonesian language, Indonesian and Malay language, Malay for 'mixed rice'; ), also known as nasi rames () or sego campur (; ) in Java, refers to an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian and Malay cuisine, Malay dish of a scoop of ''nasi p ...
'', but the rice is cooked in coconut milk and colored bright yellow using
turmeric
Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...
and scented with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.
* ''
Nasi rames'', rice with accompaniments, usually some curried vegetable stew (''
sayur lodeh''), a selection of cooked fish or chicken or meat and offal pieces, and a dollop of spicy ''
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
''.
* ''Pangsit'', wonton filled with vegetables, chicken or shrimp. It can be dry or wet.
* ''
Pecel
Pecel (, Javanese:ꦥꦼꦕꦼꦭ꧀) is a traditional Javanese salad with peanut sauce, usually eaten with steamed rice, ''lontong'' or '' ketupat''.
The simplicity of its preparation and cheap price has contributed to its popularity throug ...
'', a type of peanut sauce with chili is a common ingredients in Javanese cuisine. It is used in various type of ''
rujak
Rujak ( Indonesian spelling) or rojak ( Malay spelling) is a salad dish of Javanese origin, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The most popular variant in all three countries is a salad composed of a mixture of sliced fruit ...
'' and ''
gado-gado
''Gado-gado'' ( Indonesian or Betawi) is an Indonesian salad of raw, slightly boiled, blanched or steamed vegetables and hard-boiled eggs, boiled potato, fried tofu and tempeh, and sliced ''lontong'' (compressed cylinder rice cake wrapped ...
''. It can also be used as stand alone sauce with rice and prawn, egg and vegetables as ''nasi pecel'' (''pecel'' rice).
* ''
Petis'', black-colored shrimp paste.
* ''
Putu'', traditional cylindrical-shaped and green-colored steamed cake, made of rice flour called suji and colored green with extract acquired from
pandan leaf, filled with
palm sugar
Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar may be qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed simila ...
, and steamed in
bamboo tubes, hence its name, and served with grated coconut.
* ''
Puyonghai'',
omelette
An omelette (sometimes omelet in American English; see spelling differences) is a dish made from eggs (usually chicken eggs), fried with butter or oil in a frying pan. It is a common practice for an omelette to include fillings such as chiv ...
dish made from the mixture of vegetables such as carrots, bean sprouts, and cabbages, mixed with meats such as crab meat, shrimp, or minced chicken.
* ''
Rempeyek'', deep-fried savoury Javanese cracker made from
flour
Flour is a powder made by Mill (grinding), grinding raw grains, List of root vegetables, roots, beans, Nut (fruit), nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredie ...
(usually
rice flour
Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening ...
) with other ingredients, bound or coated by crispy flour batter. The most common type of rempeyek is peanut ''peyek''.
* ''
Rengginang'', thick rice cracker, made from cooked
glutinous sticky rice and seasoned with spices, made into a flat and rounded shape, and then sun-dried. The sun-dried rengginang is deep fried with ample cooking oil to produce a crispy rice cracker.
* ''
Roti bakar'' (lit. grilled bread), Javanese-style of toast sandwich consisting of two slice of breads and the filling, usually
hagelslag or
jam.
* ''
Rujak
Rujak ( Indonesian spelling) or rojak ( Malay spelling) is a salad dish of Javanese origin, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The most popular variant in all three countries is a salad composed of a mixture of sliced fruit ...
'', traditional fruit and vegetable salad dish. There are many kinds of rujak.
* ''
Sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
'', chili sauce or paste typically made from a mixture of a variety of chili peppers with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. Sambal has many various types.
*
Satay
Satay ( , in the US also ), or sate in Indonesia, is a Javanese cuisine, Javanese dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay originated in Java, but has spread throughout Indonesia, into Southeast Asia, Europe, ...
, skewered grilled meat is a common dish in Java. The Javanese variants are ''sate'' Tegal, ''sate'' Ambal, ''sate'' Solo, ''sate buntel'', ''sate'' Madura, ''sate'' Ponorogo, etc.
* ''
Sayur bening'',
spinach
Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to Central Asia, Central and Western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common vegetable consumed eit ...
and
corn
Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...
in clear soup flavoured with
temu kunci.
*
''Sayur lodeh'', assorted vegetables, stewed in coconut milk.
* ''
Semur jawa'', meat (mainly beef or chicken) or vegetable (mainly potato or eggplant) stew, that is braised in thick brown gravy. The main ingredient used in ''semur'' gravy is
sweet soy sauce
Sweet soy sauce (; ) is a sweetened aromatic soy sauce, originating in Indonesia, which has a darker color, a viscous syrupy consistency, and a molasses-like flavor due to the generous addition of palm sugar or jaggery. ''Kecap manis'' is widel ...
,
shallot
The shallot is a cultivar group of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as the difference was t ...
s,
onion
An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...
s,
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
,
ginger
Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...
,
candlenut
''Aleurites moluccanus'', commonly known as candlenut, is a tree in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It grows to about tall and produces drupe fruit.
First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, the species' origin is unclear due to its spread b ...
,
nutmeg
Nutmeg is the seed, or the ground spice derived from the seed, of several tree species of the genus '' Myristica''; fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg ('' M. fragrans'') is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fru ...
and
cloves
Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands, or Moluccas, in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or fragrance in consumer products, ...
, sometimes
pepper,
coriander
Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual plant, annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae.
Most people perceive the ...
,
cumin
Cumin (, ; ; ''Cuminum cyminum'') is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region. Its seeds – each one contained within a fruit, which is dried – are used in the cuisines of many cultures in both whole ...
and
cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, b ...
might be added.
* ''
Serabi'', rice pancake that is made from rice flour with coconut milk or shredded coconut as an emulsifier.
*
''Sop buntut'', oxtail soup.
*
''Soto'', this Indonesian soup dish is also a common dish in Java. The Javanese variants are common ''soto ayam'' and ''soto babat'' (
tripe
Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various farm animals. Most tripe is from cattle and sheep.
Types
Beef
Beef tripe is made from the muscle wall (the interior mucosal lining is removed) of a cow's stomach chambers: th ...
), ''soto'' Kudus, ''soto'' Madura, ''soto'' Lamongan, etc.
* ''
Tahu'', fermented soy food basically a soy milk cheese. It can be fried, stir fried, stewed, as soup ingredient, even also for sweets.
* ''
Tahu goreng
Tahu goreng ( Indonesian spelling) or tauhu goreng (Bruneian, Malaysian and Singaporean spelling) is a generic name for any type of fried tofu dish in the cuisines of Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore.
Preparation
When preparing the ...
'', deep fried
tofu
or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...
prepared with some condiments, such as
shrimp paste
Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a Fermentation, fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine, Southeast Asian and Coastal Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed Shrimp and prawn as food, shrimp or krill mixed ...
,
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
,
fried shallots,
mayonnaise
Mayonnaise (), colloquially referred to as "mayo" (), is a thick, creamy sauce with a rich and tangy taste that is commonly used on sandwiches, hamburgers, Salad#Bound salads, bound salads, and French fries. It also forms the base for various o ...
or
soy sauce
Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...
.
* ''
Tapai
''Tapai'' (also ''tapay'' or ''tape'') is a traditional fermented preparation of rice or other starchy foods, and is found throughout much of Southeast Asia, especially in Austronesian cultures, and parts of East Asia. It refers to both th ...
'', traditional fermented preparation of rice or other starchy foods.
* ''
Telur pindang'', marbled eggs boiled with herbs and spices.
*
Tempeh
Tempe or tempeh (; , ) is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. A fungus, '' Rhizopus oligosporus'' or '' Rhizopu ...
, a
meat substitute
A meat alternative or meat substitute (also called plant-based meat, mock meat, or alternative protein), is a food product made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients, eaten as a replacement for meat. Meat alternatives typically approximate qual ...
made from
soy bean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed.
Soy is a key source of f ...
fermented with
mold
A mold () or mould () is one of the structures that certain fungus, fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of Spore#Fungi, spores containing Secondary metabolite#Fungal secondary metabolites, fungal ...
. It is a staple source of protein in Java and popular in the world as an excellent meat substitute for
vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...
s.
** ''Tempe bacem'',
tempeh
Tempe or tempeh (; , ) is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. A fungus, '' Rhizopus oligosporus'' or '' Rhizopu ...
that
stewed in coconut sugar and spices, then deep-fried. It has sweet and savoury flavour.
**
Tempeh burger,
hamburger
A hamburger (or simply a burger) consists of fillings—usually a patty of ground meat, typically beef—placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. The patties are often served with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, or chilis ...
with
tempeh
Tempe or tempeh (; , ) is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. A fungus, '' Rhizopus oligosporus'' or '' Rhizopu ...
as main ingredient, a Javanese fusion dish.
** ''Tempe penyet'', fried tempeh mixed with
sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of chillis with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste (terasi), garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indonesia ...
chili paste in a mortar and pestle. Usually served in addition to other ''penyet'' dishes, such as ''
ayam penyet'' (chicken) or ''
iga penyet'' (ribs).
* ''
Terang bulan'', bread like puff with sugar, corn, and coarse nut in the middle.
* ''Tiwul'', boiled rice substitution made from dried
cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
.
* ''Tumis sayuran'', stir-fried vegetables, usually mixed with chili and a spice paste.
* ''
Tumpeng
Tumpeng (Javanese script, Javanese: ; Balinese script, Balinese: ) is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian cone-shaped rice dish with side dishes of vegetables and meat originating from Javanese cuisine. Traditionally featured in the ''slametan'' ...
'', a rice served in the shape of a
conical volcano, usually with rice colored yellow using
turmeric
Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...
. It is an important part of ceremony in Java. ''Tumpeng'' served in important events such as birthday, moving house, or other ceremonies.
Traditionally, ''tumpeng'' is served alongside fried chicken, boiled egg, vegetables, and goat meat on a round plate made from
bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...
called ''besek''.
* ''
Untir-untir'', dough twist that is fried in peanut oil. It has a shiny and golden look with crispy taste.
* ''
Urap sayur'', vegetables in spiced grated coconut dressing.
*
''Jajan pasar'', several types of shaped and colored flour, rice flour, and glutinous rice flour cakes, sprinkled with desiccated coconut and drizzled with melted palm sugar. ''Jajan'' literally means snack, and ''pasar'' means market, as this snack is usually found in traditional markets.
Javanese beverages
*
''Dawet'', green rice flour jellies served with ''gula jawa'' (palm sugar), ''santen'' (coconut milk) and ice.
*
''Es asem'' or ''gula asem'', tamarind juice with ''gula jawa'' (palm sugar) and ice.
* ''Teh poci''
Tegal: tea brewed in a clay teapot, served with
rock sugar. Tegal, a Central Java town, is a major producer of high-quality tea.
* ''Wedhang ronde'' (''ronde''): a hot Javanese dessert of glutinous rice balls stuffed with peanut paste, floating in a hot and sweet ginger and lemongrass tea.
* ''Wedhang angsle'' (''angsle''): a hot soupy dessert of sago pearls, pre-cooked glutinous rice and mung beans, ''putu mayang'' (brightly colored, noodle-shaped flour cakes), and fried peanuts, covered in hot and sweet coconut milk.
* ''Wedhang uwuh'' (''uwuh'') (
id): a hot Javanese
clove
Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands, or Moluccas, in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or Aroma compound, fragrance in fin ...
drink.
See also

*
Indonesian cuisine
Indonesian cuisine is a collection of various regional culinary traditions by various ethnic groups that formed in the archipelagic nation of Indonesia. There are a wide variety of recipes and cuisines in part because Indonesia is composed ...
*
Sundanese cuisine
Sundanese cuisine (; ) is the cuisine of the Sundanese people of West Java, Western Java, and Banten, Indonesia. It is one of the most popular foods in Indonesia. Sundanese food is characterised by its freshness; the famous lalab eaten with sa ...
*
Madurese cuisine
*
List of Indonesian dishes
Notes
{{Authority control
Javanese culture
Indonesian cuisine-related lists