Indonesian Cuisine (Part 2 – West Sumatera)

Indonesian Cuisine

3. West Sumatera Cuisine

One hours flight from Medan, We will reach Padang, West Sumatera. Lies in central Sumatera, Padang become center of diversity cuisine of Sumatera. Padang is capital of  West Sumatera and one of big city in Sumatera. Islam is dominant here and it strongly affects the western Sumatran food with the use of goats and cows on their foods. Masakan Padang is served with a small serving platter with a large number in the table. It called “tebar” . You can choose your own food, combined with boiled or fresh vegetable. If you do not want the food served on the table, you can pick and choose in the display, usually located at the front of the restaurant.

Choose your own menu

Masakan Padang

I found masakan padang (padang cuisine) not just in Indonesia. You can find it in US, Moscow, India, Shanghai and so many other places in the world. West Sumateran peoples are known as nomads and open a restaurant business wherever they are.

The most delicious and well-known of Padang food is “rendang“. Beef boiled with coconut milk, and large number of herbs, cooked for several hours until the coconut milk getting dry and leaving its oil and savory seasoning beef. Hot and spicy. If the coconut milk still remain in small number when it served, it called “Kalio“

Rendang

Padang cuisine also uses processed cow’s stomach for other dishes. Bowel, spleen, liver, cow brains, tripe, and cowhide. The use fish and chicken to curry also popular here.

‘Gulai Tunjang’, made from beef skin

Perkedel Kentang (Fried Mashed Potato)

Beside of using red chilli for make the sambal, masakan padang also use green chilli for the herbs. it’s  not as spicy as red chili, but has a more distinctive flavor.

Sambal cabai hijau

There are still a lot of food from west sumatera. You can try: Balado Ikan (Fish Balado), Balado Ayam (Chicken Balado), Dendeng Balado (beef balado), Gulai Kambing (Goat curry), Ayam Pop (Crispy Chicken) and much more. Almost of West Sumatera food served hot with white rice.

Balado Ayam (Chicken Balado)

gulai ikan (fish curry)

The best way to enjoy masakan padang is served with a big glass of iced tea or lime juice with ice cube. Just try it!