Arab Indonesian cuisine facts for kids
Arab Indonesian cuisine (in Indonesian, Masakan Arab-Indonesia) is a yummy mix of Middle Eastern cuisine and local Indonesian cuisine. Imagine your favorite Indonesian dishes getting a Middle Eastern twist! This special food style came about when Arab people, mostly from places like Hadhramaut, Hejaz, and Egypt, traveled to Indonesia. They brought their traditional recipes and changed them a bit by adding Indonesian ingredients.
Arabs first came to the Nusantara islands to trade and share their religion, Islam. In Java, starting in the 1700s, many Arab traders settled along the northern coast. They mixed with the local people, and this blend also changed the food. For example, they started using more mutton (lamb meat) and a special kind of butter called ghee in their cooking.
Popular Arab Indonesian Dishes
This section lists some delicious Arab Indonesian foods. It also includes Indonesian dishes that have been influenced by Arab cooking.
Main Dishes
- Asinan nanas: This is a refreshing dish of pineapple served in a spicy and sour sauce.
- Gulai: A rich, curry-like dish. It can be made with chicken, goat, beef, or even fish. Sometimes, vegetables like cassava leaves or unripe jackfruit are used.
- Hummus: A creamy dip or spread made from mashed chickpeas. It's blended with tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and garlic.
- Kamir: A round, soft bread that looks a bit like a pancake. It's made from flour, butter, and eggs.
- Kofta: These are like meatballs or meatloaves. They are made from ground meat, usually beef, chicken, or lamb, mixed with spices and onions.
- Manakish: A flatbread that reminds many people of pizza.
- Marak: A tasty goat meat dish. It often includes pumpkin and chicken.
- Murtabak: A stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread. It's often filled with beef and green onions.
- Naan: A fluffy, oven-baked flatbread. People usually eat it with different sauces, like curries.
- Nasi kabsah: A flavorful mixed rice dish.
- Nasi kebuli: This is a steamed rice dish cooked in goat broth, milk, and ghee. It's often enjoyed during special celebrations like Mawlid.
- Nasi gonjleng: Very similar to Nasi Kebuli, this is steamed rice cooked with many spices.
- Nasi goreng domba: A delicious fried rice dish made with mutton.
- Nasi goreng kambing: A spicy fried rice that uses goat meat and is cooked in ghee.
- Nasi samin: A fragrant yellow rice dish, cooked with various spices.
- Nasi mandi: A rice dish made with rice, meat (lamb, goat, or chicken), and a mix of spices.
- Nasi minyak: Cooked rice made with ghee and different spices.
- Rabeg: A special dish made from mutton.
- Roti maryam: A type of flatbread, similar to the Indian paratha.
- Roti pita: A round, yeast-leavened flatbread made from wheat flour. It often has a pocket inside.
- Saltah: A stew dish. Its base is a brown meat stew called marak. It's often topped with fenugreek foam and a spicy sauce called sahawiq. People often add rice, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and vegetables to it.
- Sate kambing: A type of satay made with goat meat, grilled on skewers.
- Shawarma: Meat that is roasted, often on a spinning spit. It's then shaved off and served in sandwiches.
- Tabbouleh: A fresh vegetarian Arab salad.
- Tongseng: A stew dish made with goat, mutton, or beef. It's cooked in a curry-like soup with vegetables and sweet soy sauce.
Sweet Treats and Snacks
- Asida: A Moluccan pudding made from cooked wheat flour dough. Sometimes butter or honey is added. It's popular during Ramadan.
- Falafel: Spiced mashed chickpeas shaped into balls or fritters and then deep-fried.
- Ka'ak: A biscuit or cookie shaped like a ring.
- Kaak: A small, round biscuit.
- Katayef: A sweet dumpling filled with cream or nuts.
- Maamoul: A filled pastry or cookie. It's often made with dates, or nuts like pistachios, walnuts, or almonds.
- Makmur: A traditional Arab-Malay pastry. It's made from butter, ghee, and flour. This treat is usually served during the special holiday of Eid ul-Fitr.
- Samosa: A fried or baked dumpling with a savory filling. Common fillings include spiced potatoes, onions, peas, or lentils.
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