Sumatran Food: Bold Flavors, Rich Heritage, Unforgettable Spice.

Sumatran cuisine is a rich tapestry of flavors and traditions, shaped by the island's diverse cultures and abundant natural resources. In northern Sumatra, Aceh stands out with its bold and aromatic dishes, such as mie Aceh, a spicy noodle dish cooked with seafood or meat and infused with curry spices, and kuah pliek u, a hearty vegetable and coconut milk stew. Moving southward, the cuisine of North Sumatra features the Batak people's dishes, like saksang, a spicy pork stew, and naniura, a traditional raw fish dish marinated in acid-rich and spicy seasonings. In West Sumatra, the globally renowned Padang cuisine offers flavorful dishes like rendang, a slow-cooked caramelized beef curry, and gulai, a rich coconut milk curry made with fish, meat, or vegetables. Throughout the island, the use of spices such as turmeric, chili, galangal, and lemongrass is prominent, as is the reliance on fresh ingredients like fish, coconut, and rice. Sumatran food reflects its multicultural heritage and geographical diversity, offering an array of bold, spicy, and deeply satisfying flavors that capture the essence of the island's culinary identity. Here Foods.IND has gathered several dishes to enlighten you about Sumatran cuisine.

Aceh's Crab Noodle 

 Mie Aceh Kepiting is a delicious and hearty noodle dish from Aceh, known for its bold flavors and rich spices. This specialty features thick, chewy yellow noodles stir-fried or served in a spicy curry-like broth, accompanied by succulent crab meat. The dish is seasoned with a blend of turmeric, garlic, chilies, and other aromatic spices, creating a perfect balance of heat and fragrance. Garnished with fried shallots, lime, and emping crackers, Mie Aceh Kepiting is a flavorful representation of Acehnese culinary excellence.

Aceh's Crab Noodle Recipe

Ingredients:

1 piece of round egg noodles 

1 stalk of celery 1 sheet of cabbage

5 prawns

1 squid

1 crab 

1/2 tsp beef stock

enough water

Spices:

2 tbsp sweet soy sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp curry powder/garam masala

salt to taste

Ground spices:

1 red chili

3 bird's eye chilies (to taste)

2 red onions

1 clove of garlic

1 fried candlenut

How to make Aceh noodles:

Boil half cooked egg noodles, then drain.

Thinly slice cabbage, celery leaves and squid. Wash and peel the shrimp. Split the crab, set aside.

Saute until fragrant with ground spices. Add the shrimp and squid, stir-fry until they change color. Add the crab and pour a glass water, cook until the crab changes color.

Add cabbage and celery, then all the spices, stir and cook until boiling.

Add the egg noodles, stir well, cook until the sauce reduces slightly and is absorbed into the noodles. Lift.

Aceh Noodle soup is ready to be enjoyed while it is warm.

Beef Rendang

A rich and savory Indonesian meal, beef rendang is especially connected to West Sumatra. Tender chunks of beef are slow-cooked in a fragrant concoction of coconut milk, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and other spices. While the coconut milk reduces to a thick, fragrant sauce, the beef is able to absorb the rich flavors due to the lengthy cooking period. Rendang is a staple of Indonesian cuisine and a global favorite due to its rich, savory flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. It is frequently eaten over steaming rice.

Beef Rendang Recipe:

Ingredients :

1 kg of beef tenderloin

1 turmeric leaf, torn into pieces

4 lime leaves

2 bay leaves

1 star anise flower

2 stalks lemongrass, crushed

1/2 nutmeg, crushed

1/2 tsp coriander

2 tsp salt

2 liters of coconut milk

Ground spices:

17 red onions

10 cloves of garlic

1 segment of ginger

1 galangal segment

2 turmeric segments

100 grams curly chilies

How to make:

Saute ground spices. Add coconut milk.

Add turmeric leaves, lime leaves, bay leaves, lemongrass, nutmeg and coriander. Stir until it boils.

Add the meat. Cook while continuing to stir over low heat until it looks oily.

Cook until the water reduces and oil comes out, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat. Remove and serve beef rendang.

Pempek

Pempek is a popular traditional snack from Palembang, South Sumatra, made primarily from fish and tapioca flour. The dough is shaped into various forms, such as round or oval, and then deep-fried until golden and crispy. It is typically served with a tangy, sweet, and spicy vinegar-based sauce called cuko, made with tamarind, palm sugar, and chili. The dish is savory and satisfying, often enjoyed as a snack or appetizer, and is a beloved part of Palembang's rich culinary heritage.

Pempek Recipe:

Ingridients:

250 gr mackerel fish

150 gr sapapua sago

100 gr coconut milk

4-5 cloves of garlic

1 sprig of spring onion

1 egg white

½ tbsp salt

½ tbsp sugar

½ tsp powdered flavoring

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp pepper

Cuko Pempek Ingredients:

800 ml water

300 gr brown sugar

75 gr tamarind

4 cloves of garlic

10 green cayenne peppers

5 curly chilies

½ tbsp salt

25 gr ebi (dried prawns)

Sweet soy sauce to taste

How to make pempek:

Peel and mash the garlic and finely chop the spring onions, set aside.

Place the fish in a large bowl, then knead until smooth by kneading. Can use a planetary mixer.

Add egg whites, powdered flavoring, and sugar. Mix well.

Add garlic, spring onions, salt, pepper and baking powder, then stir until evenly mixed.

Add coconut milk, then stir until evenly mixed.

Add the sapapua sago little by little, stir gently until evenly mixed.

Grease your hands and spoon with a little oil, then roll out the dough.

Steam until cooked.

How to make cuko:

Finely chop the brown sugar, then add 500 ml of water, cook over medium heat.

In another place, mix the tamarind with 300 ml of water, squeeze, then strain.

Finely blend the cayenne pepper, red chili and garlic to make the blender easier, add a little tamarind water.

Mix all the spices, tamarind and dissolved brown sugar, then bring to a boil.

Add soy sauce, salt and ground ebi. Cook until boiling.

When serving, cut the steamed pempek. Fry until dry. Serve in a bowl then drizzle with cuko sauce. Pempek Palembang is ready to be served.