Indonesia

Discover bouncy, spiced meatballs, fish barbecued in banana leaves and deep-fried plantain among more than 17,000 islands

It is the fragrance of Indonesia that hits first: the citrus perfume of lemongrass, the peppery heat of ginger and galangal, and the caramelised sweetness of shallots that weaves through the air at the local night markets. Burning coconut husks fuel fires that grill the skewered meats and seafood, which are glazed with spices and a fermented sweet soy sauce named kecap manis, producing aromas of earth and smoky caramel.

Spice pastes, known as bumbu, are flavoured with garlic, chillies, lime leaf and turmeric, and then sautéed in woks with coconut oil until it splits from the paste, a signal to progress to its next stage of cooking to be transformed into fried rice, soups, noodles or curries.

Indonesian cuisine is as diverse as its 17,500 islands and each region celebrates distinct local flavours, influenced by its landscape, migration and the country’s rich history. Nationally loved dishes, such as the fragrant chicken soup soto, have hundreds of regional variations and countless unofficial ones, as home cooks commit recipes to memory, using instinct rather than measurements to cook.

Feasts across the archipelago are sensory experiences, with varying textures and crunch, and a melody of sweet, sour, bitterness, heat and piquancy. Indonesians take great pleasure in variety, so a selection of vegetables, tempeh and tofu, fried snacks, fish and meat adorn the table, framed by generous helpings of rice and at least one or two sambals – a spicy condiment that Indonesians cannot live without.