History

Indonesian cuisine is a reflection of the diverse cultures and traditions from archipelago comprising some 6,000 islands and holds an important place in the national culture of Indonesia in general, and almost all Indonesian cuisine rich with flavor comes from spices such as nutmeg, pepper, key retrieval, galangal , ginger, kencur, turmeric, coconut and palm sugar followed by the use of cooking techniques and ingredients according to indigenous traditions, there is also the influence of trade coming through such as India, China, Middle East, and Europe.
Basically there is not one singular "cuisine of Indonesia", but rather, the diversity of regional cuisine influenced locally by Indonesian culture and foreign influence. For example, rice is processed into white rice, a diamond or a rice cake (steamed rice) as a staple food for the majority of the population of Indonesia to the eastern However the more commonly used also corn, sago, cassava, and sweet potatoes. Shape the landscape of the presentation is generally presented in the form of mostly Indonesian food staple with side dishes of meat, fish or vegetable side dish.
Throughout its history, Indonesia has been involved in world trade due to its location and natural resources. Cooking techniques and authentic Indonesian food grown and subsequently influenced by the culinary arts of India, the Middle East, China, and eventually Europe. Spanish and Portuguese traders brought various foodstuffs from the Americas long before the Dutch managed to control Indonesia. Maluku Islands are eminent as the "Spice Islands", also donated herbs native to Indonesia to the world of culinary arts. Culinary arts eastern Indonesia region similar to the art of cooking Polynesia and Melanesia.
Sumatran cuisine, for example, often show the influence of the Middle East and India, such as the use of curry in a dish of meat and vegetables, while Javanese cuisine evolved from the native cooking techniques archipelago. Elements of Chinese culture can be observed in some Indonesian dishes. Dishes such as noodles, meatballs and spring rolls have absorbed the art of Indonesian cuisine.
Several types of dishes native to Indonesia also now be found in several countries in Asia. Popular Indonesian dishes such as satay, rendang and sambal is also popular in Malaysia and Singapore. Ingredients of soy-based foods such as tofu and tempeh variations, are also very popular. Tempe is considered as the original discovery of Java, local adaptation of fermented soybeans. Another type of fermented soy foods are oncom, similar to tempe but using different types of mushrooms, oncom very popular in West Java.
Indonesian food is generally eaten with cutlery spoon using a combination of the right hand and the fork in your left hand, though in many places (such as West Java and West Sumatra) are also commonly found to be eaten directly with bare hands.
At a certain restaurant or common household use hands to eat, such as seafood, traditional Sundanese and Padang restaurants, or shop tent pecel catfish and fried chicken typical of East Java. The place is usually also serves finger bowl, a bowl of tap water with a slice of lemon to give a fresh scent. A bowl of water should not be drunk, only used for washing hands before and after meals by using their bare hands.
Using chopsticks to eat prevalent in restaurants serving Chinese cuisine that has been adapted into Indonesian dishes such as noodles or chicken noodles with dumplings, fried noodles, and fried Shahe fen (fried flat noodles, char kway teow is similar).