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No cliché: Five unique culinary delights from across the archipelago
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Smokin' good: Se'i, a spiced meat smoked using traditional methods that originates from East Nusa Tenggara, is making waves across the archipelago's culinary scene (Image source: Kompas.com/Facebook/seimoo.id) (Kompas/Courtesy of Kompas.com)
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em>Here is a handy list for foodies, gastronomes and casual diners alike who are interested in venturing beyond the trap of culinary clichés for some authentic Indonesian "grub".
Indonesian cuisine is starting to make waves around the world, with rendang (stewed spiced beef) and nasi goreng (fried rice) inevitably popping up in discussions about the archipelago’s diverse dishes. But step out of your comfort zone a little to take the road less traveled and you’ll find a rich array of astronomic gastronomical discoveries with few parallels around the world.
These dishes are complex, uncompromising and suffused with history and heritage, just the way we like it!
1. ‘Lawar’: Bali’s spiced blood salad
Yes, you read that right: salad tossed with spiced blood.
A ubiquitous “salad” beloved by the Balinese and a fixture at Hindu ceremonies, it has a simple formula: mix some shredded coconut, a special spice blend, chopped vegetables, shredded meat, and then pour over some spiced blood.
The spice blend, called base genep, is an orchestra of flavors that includes candlenut, kencur (aromatic ginger), garlic, shallots and chili. The vegetables and meat, always reflective of the locality, can range from jackfruit to snake beans and from duck to pork.
