The original article was published by NowJakarta.co.id. Read HERE.
Writer: NOW! Jakarta
Thousands of islands, spread across landscapes that span floodplains, volcanic soils and sunny coastlines, rich in herbs and spices. These have culminated to create a national cuisine that is both vibrant and varied.
Over the centuries, and passed down through the generations, Indonesia’s regional foods have stood the test of time, and have become dishes craved, desired and admired by the Indonesian population. Select venues in Jakarta have perfected some of Indonesia’s iconic dishes and have built a solid fanbase for their signature iterations of said dishes.
Pasar Sate Tugu at Lara Djonggrang
Surely the satay is one of Indonesia’s most well-known dishes. Skewered meats, fish, prawns, chargrilled to perfection, accompanied by a variety of sauces — though most famously, peanut sauce. Historically, Java was the place where Indian-Arabic kebabs were imported by Muslim traders and then took on a more eastern flavour and style.
Across the archipelago, diverse ethnic groups and cultures have made satay their own, creating different variations of this crowd-pleasing dish. They differ in the spices used, the accompanying sauces, and even how the meat is skewered or prepared.
Famed for its authentic Indonesian cuisine, Lara Djonggrang has a special offering that presents a range of Indonesian satay across the regions.
Housed in a former Dutch mansion, here you can taste and enjoy Pasar Sate Tugu, a boat of nine satays from nine regions, such as satay from Kota Gede, Yogyakarta; originally from a street vendor during the early part of the 20th century, this satay is made from grilled-caramel marinated tenderloin served with cucumber salad and red pepper, tomato, and shrimp paste on the side. West Sumatra, renowned for its Sate Padang is another delicious variant, with its specialty using grilled tender ox tongue served with tamarind and galangal sauce, green chilli dip, and rice cake on the side.
Not only using beef and chicken, Pasar Sate Tugu also serves a variety of mutton, lamb, shrimp, fish and squid, like Sate Kambing Kapuran Camaran (Semarang) made from tender lamb satay with soy sauce and kaffir lime leaves, Sate Udang Sereh Lasem contains red curry grill prawn on lemongrass stalk, Sate Cumi Bakar Manado contains squid stewed in coconut milk, Sate Lilit Ikan Gianyar made from minced Balines fish with tropical sauces served with sambal matah, and Sate Tempe made from grilled soybean cake or tempe marinated with palm sugar and seven spices.
Lara Djonggrang Restaurant, Jalan Teuku Cik Ditiro No. 4, Menteng
+62 21 315 3252
@lara_djonggrang | tuguhotels.com
