Taste the Javanese Culture

Javanese Cuisine

Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people, a major ethnic group in Indonesia, more precisely the province of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java. Though the cuisine of Sumatra is known for its spiciness with notable Indian and Arabic influences, Javanese cuisine is more indigenously developed and noted for its simplicity. Nevertheless, some of Javanese dishes demonstrate foreign influences, most notably Chinese.

Nasi Liwet

A rice dish cooked in coconut milk and chicken broth served with meat and vegetable side dishes. Tongseng: a strongly spiced curry of bone-in mutton, which is quickly stir-fried at the point of sale with vegetables added.

Tengkleng Kambing

Goat ribs and offal 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.

Bakso Solo

Bakso literally means meatballs, made of beef, and served in boiling hot soup with mung bean-thread noodles, green vegetables, shredded cabbage, and various sauces (chili, tomato). This version of 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 steak, a European-influenced dish from Solo.

Selat Solo

A salad consisting of stewed beef, lettuce, carrot, green bean, potato chips or French fries in sweet-spiced dressing.

Sate Buntel

(lit: wrapped satay) – Minced fatty beef or goat meat, encased in caul fat and wrapped around a bamboo skewer then grilled. The size of this satay is quite large, very similar to a Middle Eastern kebab. After being grilled on charcoal, the meat is separated from the skewer, cut into bite-size chunks, then served in sweet soy sauce and merica (pepper).

Serabi Solo

A pancake made of coconut milk, mixed with a little rice flour as a thickener. Srabi can be served plain or with toppings such as sliced banana, chopped jackfruit, chocolate sprinkle (muisjes), or cheese.