7 Local Cuisines of East Java Worth Trying

In general, the cuisines of Java can be classified into two divisions: East Java and Central Java. Every division will serve the same non-spicy and simple cuisines, yet the one in Central Java is significantly sweeter than the effectively sweet cuisine of East Java. 

Local cuisines in Central Java utilized less hot flavors and more sugar, while in East Java, the cuisines are arranged somewhat spicier and depend less on the sweet fixings – including not as much palm sugar.

Culinary historians regularly attribute this characteristic of East Javanese food as having been affected by Indian and Arabic cooking as well as the cooking of Madurese. 

In this article, we will investigate 7 local cuisines of East Java that deserve your attention. Thus, without further ado, go check these out. 

1. Satay Madura 

Satay Madura is a conventional Indonesian dish and a sort of satay originating from the island of Madura, henceforth the name. The dish is set up with chicken or mutton pieces that are set onto sticks and grilled. 

This sort of satay is unique in relation to most other sorts since the meat is cut into more slender pieces than usual. The sticks are joined by a dark sauce made with a blend of sweet soy sauce, palm sugar, singed shallots, peanut paste, shrimp paste, candlenuts, salt, and garlic. 

Whenever made with chicken, the dish is served in peanut sauce, while the mutton one regularly comes served in sweet soy sauce. Speaking of Madura, here are the most delicious foods in Madura, Indonesia.

2. Tahu Tek 

Tahu Tek is basically a scrumptious egg and tofu salad with a brilliant blend of sweet, appetizing, and zesty flavors. This simple cuisine contains fried eggs, seared tofu, sweet soy sauce, minced shallots, peanut sauce, cucumber, and bean sprouts. 

Obviously, this dish can be presented with an extraordinary homemade stew paste called sambal. Most local people will demand that Tahu Tek must be presented with a decent aiding of exquisite prawn crackers. 

3. Bakwan Malang 

As its name recommends, Bakwan Malang is an Indonesian dish that originated in the city of Malang, and it is firmly connected with bakso — another notable Indonesian meatball soup. Both Bakwan and Bakso Malang derived from the Indonesian-Chinese culinary convention and since Indonesia is dominatingly a Muslim nation, the meatballs are normally made with chicken or beef. 

The two cuisines share a few similarities, yet Bakwan Malang is characterized by the presence of fried wontons, otherwise known as bakwan. You might be interested in the mountains in Malang city worth visiting.

4. Soto 

Soto is a conventional chicken or meat soup with new vegetables. It is viewed as comfort food in Indonesia and it originates from East Java. 

It is considered appropriate to eat soto at all times of the day, particularly if one needs a little jolt of energy. You can find this cuisine on most conventional Indonesian eatery menus and the best thing about soto is that it is very comforting for many people in Indonesia. 

5. Nasi Pecel 

This Indonesian cuisine combines rice with different vegetables and a sweet peanut sauce. It regularly utilizes lightly blanched green vegetables, for example, water spinach, papaya and cassava leaves, asparagus bean as well as bean sprouts, tempeh, and tofu. 

This cuisine is soaked in a thick, delightful pecel — peanut sauce that is characterized by its blend of sweet and zesty flavors. Nasi Pecel is generally presented with fresh peyek crackers, cucumber cuts, boiled eggs, and a touch of fiery sambal paste. 

6. Lontong Balap 

Lontong Balap is a mainstream conventional food, particularly in Surabaya. This extraordinary dish has various fixings in a single stew, consisting of a couple of bits of cut rice cake known as lontong, seared tofu, sweet soy sauce, lentho (a kind of pea fritter), sambal, a scramble of bean sprouts. 

It is a brisk and healthy dinner and numerous workers in Indonesia usually eat this dish during their lunch break. You should also read typical lunch dishes in Indonesia.

7. Tahu Campur

Tahu Campur means blended tofu. As its name recommends, Tahu Campur is a blended tofu dish that comprises noodles, diced beef, meat stock, prawn crackers, and flavors. Originating from East Java, the dish may come as an astonishment to some as it is normally presented with noodles rather than the Indonesian staple, rice. 

Regardless, Tahu Campur is just as scrumptious and it is normally accessible around the clock.

So, these are 7 local cuisines of East Java worth trying. While you are at it, check out Indonesian staple foods and Indonesian famous main dishes.