Discover a variety of mouth-watering Padang specialties, full of authentic flavors and legendary Minang spices.
Padang cuisine is famous throughout Indonesia, even abroad. Padang restaurants spread across various regions are witnesses to how popular this Minang cuisine is.
Rich in spices and herbs, Padang food always pampers the tongue of anyone who tries it. Well, if you are a culinary lover, here are 10 Padang cuisines that you must try.
1. Beef stew
It would be incomplete to discuss Padang Culinary Specialties without mentioning rendang. This meat dish, cooked for a long time with coconut milk and spices, has even been named the most delicious food in the world.
The process of cooking rendang, which takes hours, produces tender meat with spices that are perfectly absorbed.
Rendang usually uses beef, but there are also variations of rendang with chicken, duck, or beef liver. This iconic dish is a must-try for anyone exploring the rich flavors of Padang cuisine.
2. Padang Satay
If satay is identical with peanut sauce, then Padang satay is different with its seasoning made from rice flour and thick sauce rich in spices. Padang satay is usually served with pieces of rice cake and sprinkled with fried onions.
There are two variants of Padang satay, namely Pariaman Padang Satay which tends to be spicy, and Padang Panjang Satay which has a thick yellow sauce. The combination of tender meat and tempting spices is guaranteed to make your tongue sway.
3. Tambusu Curry
Gulai tambusu is a unique Padang specialty, made from cow intestines filled with a mixture of eggs and tofu. The filled intestines are then cooked in a thick curry sauce.
This dish has a savory and spicy taste that is just right. The chewy texture of the intestines combined with the soft filling and the curry sauce rich in spices is an unforgettable culinary experience.
4. Spicy beef jerky
Dendeng balado is a thin beef dish that is fried dry and then coated with typical Minang balado sauce. The spicy and sour balado sauce from chili and lime gives a fresh taste to the savory dendeng.
This balado dendeng is often a favorite choice for spicy lovers. You can enjoy this dendeng with warm rice for a perfect eating experience.
5. Pop Chicken
Ayam pop is a typical Padang fried chicken that is different from fried chicken in general. Ayam pop is usually cooked by boiling it in coconut water and then frying it briefly.
This makes the ayam pop soft and juicy with a pale color, different from regular fried chicken. This dish is often served with fresh and spicy Minang tomato sauce.
6. Sour and Spicy Fish
For lovers of soupy food, asam padeh fish is the right choice. This dish consists of fish cooked in a spicy sour sauce made from chili, kandis acid, and other spices.
The spicy and sour taste is very refreshing, perfect for those of you who like soupy dishes with strong flavors. The fish used can vary, such as tuna, mackerel, or carp.
7. Duck Curry
Gulai itiak or duck gulai is a delicious dish that you must try if you visit West Sumatra. Duck meat is cooked with gulai spices that are rich in spices, resulting in a savory and spicy taste that is appetizing.
The soft texture of duck meat blends perfectly with the thick and sharp-smelling gulai sauce. This dish is usually served at special events because the cooking process is quite complicated.
8. The Greatest Showman
Pangek padeh is a typical Padang food made from fish or chicken cooked with spicy spices without coconut milk. The cooking process is similar to asam padeh, but pangek is thicker and does not use excessive sauce.
Pangek is usually cooked until the sauce thickens and the spices are absorbed into the fish or chicken meat. This dish is perfect for those of you who want to enjoy spicy food but still healthy because it does not use coconut milk.
9. Lauak Fish Curry
This dish is made from fish heads cooked in a spicy curry sauce. For some people, gulai kapalo lauak may sound exotic, but for seafood lovers, this dish is a culinary heaven.
The fish heads cooked until tender absorb all the curry spices, creating a rich and deep flavor. Usually, gulai kapalo lauak uses snapper or tuna fish which have thick meat.
10. Balado Chips
As a snack, Balado chips are a famous snack in Padang. These chips are made from thinly sliced cassava, fried dry, then coated with spicy Balado chili sauce.
The savory and spicy taste makes Balado chips a favorite souvenir from Padang. Not only cassava, sometimes there are also chips made from other ingredients such as sweet potatoes that are seasoned with Balado.
Padang’s specialties are indeed endless to explore. For those interested in Typical West Sumatra Food, from the legendary rendang to the crispy balado chips, each dish offers a unique taste rich in herbs and spices.
So, if you are a true culinary lover, don’t miss the chance to try these 10 Padang specialties. Guaranteed, every bite will make you want to come back again and again to West Sumatra!
