About Indonesian Food

Indonesia has an extremely diverse population. There are no less than 300 ethnic groups and 25 dialects and languages spoken on the country’s string of 17,508 islands. Not surprisingly, the cuisine is just as eclectic. Like Chinese food, it has regional specialties, including Javanese, Padang and Sundanese. All are quite distinct.

Indonesian cuisine embodies a richness and complexity that reflects centuries of invaders, settlers and immigrants. For hundreds of years, Indonesia was the center of a thriving international spice trade. Cloves, ginger, nutmeg and mace drew traders from India, China, Africa and the Arab world. Arab traders came as early as the fourth century. Portuguese colonists arrived in 1512 and stayed for almost 100 years until the Dutch drove them out. Indonesia gained independence in 1945, but the varied external influences linger on.