Southeast Asia Map of Southeast Asia Southeast Asian Cooking Methods Breakfast in Southeast Asia Indonesia Indonesian Dishes Indonesian Cooking Methods Thailand Thai Dishes Vietnam Vietnamese Dishes

Ingredient Sidebar: Asian Noodles Chiles Cinnamon Coconut Milk Coriander Galangal Lemon Grass Palm Sugar Rice Saffron Soy Sauce Tamarind Thai Basil

Beef Rendang, Nonya Style

Originating in Malaysia and common in Indonesia and Singapore, beef rendang is beef and onion sauteed in a rich spice paste of ginger, garlic, chile, coriander and cumin; then simmered in coconut milk with lemon grass and tamarind water. In the 16th century, waves of Chinese laborers flooded Malaysia to work in tin mines. The Malaysian women they married and their daughters were called nonyas. The cooking they created combines Chinese methods and ingredients -- such as dried mushrooms and fermented black beans -- with the local cuisine. Nonya cooking is also distinguished by its fiery heat and its emphasis on tart flavors, created through using tamarinds, mangoes, and other sour fruits.

Gado Gado

A mixed vegetable and tofu salad with a spicy, sweet peanut dressing.

Ikan Pangang

This is a whole broiled fish with sauce and spicy marinades. During its preparation, the cook uses a crushed stalk of lemon grass as a brush to baste the fish with a mixture of coconut, chile, ginger, and lime.

Nasi Kuning

While much of the cooking in Southeast Asia assumes an unadorned steamed rice at the center of every table, the Indonesians like to flavor their rice. This is a festive, yellow savory cooked with onions, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, and cumin.

Sambal

Sambal is the general term for an endless variety of relishes, many of which have chiles, either dried or fresh, at their bases. Sambals can be cooked or raw, preserved or fresh, bought commercially or homemade. They accompany almost every meal in Indonesia and in Malaysia as well, with ingredients changing to complement the main dishes. Depending on how it is made, a sambal can be used as a sauce, garnish, or side dish. Sambal ulek, made with a chile base and shrimp paste, sugar, and tomato, is a standard variety. Other typical sambals include spicy fried onions, bottled chutneys and pickles, toasted and spiced coconut, shredded cold omelets, thick fruity sauces, or fresh salsa-like vegetable mixes.

Satay

It is said that satay, grilled meat on a skewer, originated in Indonesia. But, since satay is so widespread and so simple it would be impossible to declare a point of origin with absolute certainty. What is known is that satay is a favorite in Southeast Asian kitchens the world over. There is no standard recipe. Strips of meat are marinated then threaded onto wooden skewers and grilled over a fire. Satay can be an appetizer, with a sauce for dipping, or it can be an entire meal when served over rice. The meat can be marinated in a mixture of garlic, cumin, and soy sauce, or in an elaborate combination of coconut milk, chiles, ginger, fish sauce, palm sugar, sesame oil, shallots, lemon, and turmeric. Ground meat can also be used. One Indonesian dish blends herbs and spices into ground duck meat, then molds the mixture around lemon grass, which serves as the skewer.