One of the areas that are popular for its delicious dishes in Indonesia is West Sumatra. There are several Minangkabau dishes that are already popular worldwide such as rendang, bubur kampiun, sate padang, or balado. However, there are some special Lebaran dishes from Minangkabau that you need to know.
These are not the most popular dishes from the area as they are mostly available during Lebaran. These are parts of the rich culinary heritage of Minangkabau. Here are some of the delicious Lebaran dishes from Minangkabau.
Asam Padeh Daging
Made mostly from beef and chicken, asam padeh is a little bit like rendang. It literally means sour and spicy meat thanks to the massive use of chili pepper and tamarind. In the beef version, the end result would be very similar to rendang, at least in appearance. The meat is brown with very little broth but rich in spicy paste (bumbu). This is a delicious companion of ketupat or rice.
Sate Lokan
Just like any kind of satay, this one is basically meat skewered and roasted with special sauces. The main difference is that, instead of using lamb or chicken, this one is using lokan. It is green clam that will turn reddish and orange when cooked. Not only special sauce, but sate lokan also has thick broth. Usually, it is enjoyed with rice.
Nasi Sala
This one is considered a simple dish for Minangkabau standard. Nasi sala is from Pariaman. This is a simple dish containing rice and mackerel with special seasoning. The fried mackerel is savory with pepper, galangal, turmeric, and garlic as the main seasoning. It usually also has sambalado, a chili paste made by stir-frying red chili pepper and other herbs.
Lemang
This dish is also popular in many other regions in Indonesia. Lemang is made by slow cooking glutinous rice and coconut milk in a bamboo cylinder. The rice and coconut milk are wrapped in banana leaves and then put into a bamboo. The bamboo then, in turn, put next to fire or ember for hours until the rice is cooked. In Minangkabau, lemang is often paired with rendang, eggs or other savory side dishes.
Sate Padang
Interestingly, Minangkabau seems to ignore the common ‘rule’ about satay. In most places, sate is using chicken or lamb. However, sate padang is using beef or even cow’s tongue. The sauce is also different from many other places as it is less thick than most peanut-based satay sauces. In sate padang, the sauce is using rice flour to make it a bit thicker.
Minangkabau is truly a wonderful place for food lovers. Its traditional dishes are simply delicious and unique. You wouldn’t want to miss the chance to enjoy the rare Lebaran dishes from Minangkabau, especially during this festive period.
