All around Mataram as in the rest of Indonesia, street food vendors prepare some of the simplest, cheapest and tasiest food going around. Whether it be prepared and served from gerobak (hand cart), warung (tent like set up on the side of the road) or rumah makan (simple, no frills eating house) you are sure to find mouth watering food to try. A short distance from the city centre, Jl Hos Cokro Aminoto (Jalan Cokro for short) is home to an excellent night time foodies strip, offering a tantalizing array of delicious Indonesian street food, a small selection of which are described here.
Bakso
Bakso or meatball noodle soup is one of Indonesia’s signature street food dishes. The meatballs are generally made from beef but equally delicious when regionally prepared from fish. A simple broth and home made egg noodles complete the dish. Add kecap manis (sweet soy) and sambal (chilli paste) to taste. Add rice to make it a complete meal.
Mie Ayam/Soto Ayam
Another two soup dishes that will set your taste buds alight.
Mie Ayam is similar to bakso in that it is a simple broth with fresh noodles but served with pieces of chicken.
Soto Ayam is a more fragrant chicken noodle soup that uses fine rice noodles or vermicelli in a broth that is flavoured with fresh lime, lemongrass and tumeric. It will generally be served with egg and chopped greens such as celery mint and coriander and as with all Indonesian food add rice to make it a complete meal.
Ayam Kentucky
“Ayam Kentucky”, (also variously spelt “Kentaky” or “Kentaki”) is the Indonesian street food vendor’s version of the deep fried chicken made famous by the Colonel. Best enjoyed before American trade mark lawyers have anything to say about it!
Martabak
Martabak is a delicious fried pastry dish filled with egg onion and meat which has parallels with similar pastry dishes made in India and the Middle East. A light roti style bread dough is spread out thin over a hot metal plate and cooked in hot oil until it turns golden brown. The egg onion and meat mixture is then added and the roti is quickly folded to hold the mixture in. Oil is then continually scooped from the hotplate and poured over the parcel until it is cooked through. Then it is cut into small bite size pieces and is ready to enjoy.
A sweet version of the Martabak is also tremendously popular. Known as “terang bulan”, this dish uses a pancake mixture rather than roti dough and is an Indonesian twist on a traditional Chinese recipe. The twist is the addition of a chocolate and cheese topping which in spite of how it sounds, melts into the pancake and is decadently delicious. A chocolate and peanut mix is a worthy alternative to chocolate and cheese and no Indonesian would think twice about adding all three.
Gorengan
Goreng means fried and gorengan are a decadent assortment of battered and deep fried vegetarian delights. Expect deep fried banana, tofu, sweet potato or sago, chinese cabbage and the like. Don’t think too much about your waistline, just indulge your tastebuds and share this popular snack with friends.
Onde onde
Another sweet treat, onde onde are sesame coated pastry balls with a soft chocolate cheese and banana flfilling. Usually served in a small box to go, just try stopping at one.
