Indonesian Cuisine in Jakarta: 5 Betawi Rice Dishes

Nasi goreng, Indonesian fried rice (AI-generated image)

Nasi goreng is one of the Indonesian takes on the fried rice concept. Actually, “fried rice” is exactly what nasi goreng translates to. Pretty much all cuisines of Southeast Asia have this or that variety of this dish, or a whole range thereof, since this part of the globe, in its entirety, is a rice-farming region.

A timely side note about rice: according to the International Rice Research Institute, this crop delivers half (50%, yes) of all the calories consumed by the population of Southeast Asia, which is 688,196,438 people (8.54% of the total world population), as of this writing, and counting. Almost a third of all rice harvested on the globe grows here.

So, Betawi cuisine’s nasi goreng is fried rice, typically served with an egg sunny side up, some meat inside the pile, and onion. This is a very basic recipe of this dish, and not the only one, of course: some variations include up to 20 ingredients.

The component that makes nasi goreng unique is kecap manis, Indonesian sweet soy sauce. Added at the frying stage of the process, it colors rice brownish and caramelizes it somewhat, thus giving this dish the qualities needed to stand out and be one of the most popular rice meals in the region.

This is one of the many street food outfits scattered through Jakarta. Barebones and no-frills, it has been in the business for years now, its cooks doing what they do best: making nasi goreng kambing. The crowd, which you typically see here during the shop’s business hours (5 PM to 12 midnight, mind you), mainly consists of the locals, and if they trust this eatery, chances are the food is good, regardless of the looks.

Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih means “fried rice with goat meat in Kebon Sirih area,” in case you wondered. No fancy name or any name, for that matter. It’s the food that counts here, nothing else, although, considering its location in Central Jakarta (National Monument, National Gallery of Indonesia and other sights within walking distance), the place could have labeled itself something groovy.

At Restaurant Guru, we try to avoid buzzwords, but this establishment is one of the few that actually deserve such, if we are to cite an online review of Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih: “One of the truly amazing street food gems in Jakarta.” Tender meat, perfectly cooked rice, affordable prices and generous portions, all here. You can order half a portion, by the way, or just take a full meal and share it with your company.

Kerak telor, Indonesian rice omelette (AI-generated image)

Kerak telor is a very popular snack in Jakarta and Indonesia in general. Basically, it is a mix of sticky (glutinous) rice and eggs, duck’s in most cases. The name of this dish translates into “egg crust.”

What makes it unique is the way it is cooked. First, you put a wok over an open bed of flaming hot charcoal, and pour some rice with water into it. Once the water has evaporated, you break an egg on top of rice and mix it in energetically. Salt and spices can come in the middle of this stage. There is no oil nor any other greasing agent involved: you need the mixture to stick to the pan. Once the connection between the two is firm and solid, you flip the wok upside down and fry the mass directly over the fire. Half a minute, and done! Sprinkle serundeng (sweet grated coconut granule) and ebi (dried salted shrimp) on top, and you have kerak telor.

This dish was invented to make sticky rice, one of the main foods around here, more palatable and digestible. What’s interesting is that during Colonial times, kerak telor was reserved to the society’s upper strata. Today, it is available to everyone.

Nothing more than a street food stall, Kerak Telor Bang Dhory is one of the best-rated Betawi rice omelet outlets in the entire Jakarta. Despite it obviously being a one-man show, the shop successfully does catering and delivery, i.e., the quality of food here is outstanding. After all, in the alpha city of Indonesia, you can order anything from a wide selection of vendors, which means only the best survive the competition.

So, if you ever find yourself in Southern Jakarta, make sure to locate this spot and enjoy the famous Betawi snack here. And since we learn the true value of anything through comparison, you just have to try this Indonesian cuisine staple from other vendors.

With prices a bit on the high side, so far, this street food vendor managed to keep his Google Maps rating at solid 5.0 with 111 reviews, as of this writing. You could say that some of those rants were written by his friends and family, but if the food was lousy, the score would have definitely reflected it anyway.

Ketoprak, Indonesian rice cake and tofu salad (AI-generated image)

Given that ketoprak is a mixture of a considerable number of ingredients, it is surprising that the dish is vegetarian, with no meat inside. At least, according to the more or less traditional recipe, which permits only:

– chunks of rice cake (lontong or ketupat), 

– fried tofu, 

– rice vermicelli, 

– boiled bean sprouts, 

– starch crackers (krupuk), 

– and peanut sauce. 

The name of the dish, ketoprak, is also the name of a local theatrical genre, folk-drama. The story goes that in the 1930s, popularity of the performances was nosediving, and to make more money from those who did attend them, one of the troupes started selling a fried tofu salad they designed themselves. People liked the dish, and the association with the said genre gave it the name.

Today, ketoprak is mainly street food, although you may find it on menus of many restaurants in Jakarta and throughout Indonesia. Vendors typically cook all the ingredients at home and just mix them before the customer, asking how spicy they should make it. Thus, it makes sense to try the dish both in a proper establishment and from a stall. Who knows which one will taste better?

Dapoer Ciragil is a small Indonesian restaurant located approximately between central and southern parts of Jakarta, so if you stay in either of them, finding the place and/or planning a route to some landmark that would let you drop in here is not a problem.

Speaking of attractions, there are two museums near Dapoer Ciragil, one dedicated to the national police service (Museum Polri) and another to the Indonesian Armed Forces (Satriamandala Museum), with fighter planes and tanks on display. Interesting places, if you are into such things.

Anyway, the restaurant: comfy, authentic interior (wooden hut is what comes to mind), some tables outdoors, if you like, friendly to large parties and, what’s important, to children, with a kid’s menu that you do not see in each and every eatery of Jakarta.

The average cost of a meal per person here is 100,000 to 125,000 rupiahs, which, as of this writing, is about US$ 7. Not cheap for the capital of Indonesia, but, on the bright side, you can pay with your card, which is also something not really common in this city. And, Ketoprak ciragil is one of the specialty dishes here, so do give it a try.

Nasi uduk, Indonesian steamed rice in coconut milk (AI-generated image)

The core and the key ingredient of nasi uduk, as you have probably guessed from the name, is rice, and “uduk” here is a derivative of the term describing hard labor: the dish was invented by farmers and those whose work was mainly physical.

The rice in nasi uduk is steamed and cooked in coconut milk to make it richer. The ingredients giving flavor are lemongrass, cloves, pandan leaves, and cinnamon, all boiled together with rice. For the protein part, this dish is as democratic as it gets: it can be anything from beef through chicken to pork, and eggs. Add some cucumber, fried shallots and krupuk (Indonesian crackers) for good measure, and there you have it, nasi uduk.

Despite not being an option cooked quickly and out of what’s at hand, nasi uduk is a breakfast meal in many houses of Indonesia. Jakarta, the country’s capital, is believed to be the birthplace of this dish, so tasting it here is a natural choice for any gourmet.

If you ever happen to be in or around Jakarta International Velodrome (a sports complex that actually includes a futsal field and a regular stadium) and find yourself hungry, we have a suggestion: walk approximately 400 meters due south to Nasi Uduk OK. Yes, there is a Pizza Hut nearby, and a bebek restaurant, for that matter, but you are looking for an authentic Betawi dining experience, right? So head straight to the place frequented by the locals.

Nasi Uduk OK is much like Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih described above. Plain and simple, it is an eatery (chain of 3 eateries, actually, all alike) that focuses on food and nothing else. Another similarity to the fried rice outfit are the business hours: Nasi Uduk OK opens at around 6 PM and closes around midnight. The rush hour, according to the reviews, is between 6 and 9 PM, and the line can keep you waiting for up to 40 minutes.

WIth over a thousand reviews on Google Maps, this place has the score of 4.4, which is all right for a no-frills shop obviously launched to cater to the locals and not tourists. The prices here confirm this hypothesis: a nice, big plate of nasi uduk costs about 50,000 rupiahs (USD 3.5), and there is one free rice refill per plate!

Lontong sayur, Indonesian coconut milk soup with rice cake (AI-generated image)

Literally, lontong sayur means “vegetable rice cake” although a better translation would be “rice cake in vegetable curry,” since this dish is just that.

Lontong is an interesting thing in itself: it is a cylinder of sticky rice boiled into a single mass. Cooking it involves rolling the crop in a banana leaf, which is then kept in boiling water for a considerable period of time. The resulting baton is cut into pieces that are used in dishes like lontong sayur.

For the liquid part, the typical ingredients are coconut milk, shredded chayote, tempeh, tofu, hard-boiled egg, sambal (Indonesian chili paste), and krupuk (crackers, already mentioned twice in this piece). Of course, this is just one of the interpretations of lontong sayur; there are many other variants that include different veggies and prescribe taking these spices and avoiding those. Whatever recipe you encounter, do look around some and get yourself another bowl of vegetable rice cake for the sake of comparison.

Bakmi Ernie is a canteen in North Jakarta that serves traditional noodle and rice dishes. More than a stall and less than a restaurant, this place fills the niche of eateries where you can actually sit at a table in an enclosed space without spending a small fortune on your food while receiving dishes deserving all kinds of praise.

The comparatively nearby attractions and landmarks are the Old Shanghai Sedayu City to the east, St. Andrew Kim Tae Gon Catholic Church to the south, Bounce Street Asia – Trampoline Park to the north (a place where your children can finally get physically tired and let you be for some time, at least).

The Google Maps score of the place is 4.4 with 1,000+ reviews; the suggestion from fellow travelers is to pick a quieter hour for your visit here, i.e., outside of the typical dinner time, when locals flood the establishment. One more thing: Bakmi Ernie won recognition from its patrons for being clean and tidy. Once you’ve been to half a dozen like eateries in Jakarta, you’ll understand the value implied by this assessment.

Of course, there is much more than rice to Betawi cuisine. The people themselves, as mentioned above, are a product of the melting pot, which is the country’s capital, and their cuisine reflects their origins. This list includes staple, most popular Indonesian rice-based dishes. While checking out these suggestions, do explore Betawi soups and nutritious meat meals. You won’t be disappointed.