7x our favorite Indonesian snacks
In Indonesia, they’re not only good at rendang and satay, they’re also stars when it comes to snacks. So here’s a small ode to our favorite savory snacks, which you can also find at your local toko.
We previously paid tribute to our favorite sweet snacks, including cendol and dadar gulung. Not much of a sweet tooth? Then go for these savory Indonesian treats.
Frikadel jagung
No, not frikandel, but frikadel. Or, more precisely: frikadel jagung (also known as perkedel jagung). It’s a crispy corn fritter that is often eaten as a snack or side dish in Indonesia and is often part of a rijsttafel in the Netherlands.
Bacang
These stuffed rice parcels not only look cute, they’re also incredibly delicious. Sticky rice with minced meat and dried shrimp, wrapped in bamboo or banana leaves.
Lemper
Chances are you know these. Like bacang, lempers consist of sticky rice and a filling. The difference is that the filling in lempers is often made with chicken, minced meat or tuna. In the Netherlands, they’re kept warm in aluminum foil or cling film, but in Indonesia, just like with bacang, banana leaves are used for this.
Martabak
Martabak comes in a sweet and a savory version. Martabak telor is the savory variety and can be found all over Indonesia. The dough is slapped onto the ground, and once it’s thin enough, it’s placed in the pan and filled with minced beef, lamb or chicken, onions, eggs and sometimes potatoes.
Pangsit goreng
My personal favorite. Rakus (rakus = greedy) is what my Indonesian family becomes when pangsit goreng appears at birthdays or family gatherings. We always go through trays of these deep-fried pastry bites. The combination of the crispy pastry and soft meat filling is delicious.
Pastel goreng
These Indonesian savory pastries are a top-tier snack. They’re made with a filling of chicken, vegetables or minced beef. Regardless of the filling, pastel goreng isn’t complete without a boiled egg as part of the filling. If you ever get a pastel goreng without an egg, it’s not pastel goreng.
Risolles
At first glance, they look a little like a cheese soufflé, but these deep-fried, breaded crêpes are filled with ragout, minced meat or vegetables. Though cheese lovers can sometimes find versions with cheese too.
You can get all these snacks at the toko. Our absolute favorite is Toko Makassar in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, which has been an institution for Indonesian food since the 1970s. Not only because they sell products here that few other tokos carry, but also because you can get delicious ikan pepesan there. Of course, the snacks are also very easy to make yourself, such as pangsit goreng.
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