When traveling to the area known as Indonesia one of the delights to be found is the wonderful food. The region has a well-developed culinary tradition, which is based on several key staples. Because of the areas varied history and many cultural influences, the food is a unique mixture of taste and textures. Tourists are encouraged to try as many native dishes as possible.
Much of the cuisine utilizes a combination of several basic food staples. Meat, eggs, sugar, salt, corn, oil and rice form the basis of many of the popular meals served in the country. With cultural influence that includes, Malay, Chinese, European, Middle Eastern and Indian, many dishes are a unique combination of a variety of food elements. The dishes of Indonesia are an attraction of themselves.
Some of the popular dishes, pangsit, lumpia, sambai, beef rending and satay are excellent examples of the melding of cuisines that is found throughout the region. Indonesian cuisine can be thought of as a localization of the cuisines of other regions of the world. Many of the dishes are very spicy – so exercise caution when trying a dish for the first time.
An additional word of warning – many of the dishes found within the country are not really the healthiest options. In fact, many are known for their high cholesterol levels. People who are diet fanatics may very well miss out on some of the best food in the world. A visit to Indonesia would not be complete without sampling some of the local foods.