Food is a very important part of Indonesian culture. Indonesian people are very proud of their cuisine. Cuisine is a type of food. Just like Italian cuisine has pizza and pasta, Indonesian cuisine has lots of spices, tropical fruits and vegetables, rice and noodles.
In my city, Pontianak, the specialty is seafood and Chinese-Indonesian food. In Pontianak, there are many Chinese immigrants. Immigrants are people from a different country who move to a new country. So, many meals in Pontianak are very similar to traditional Chinese meals!
My favorite Indonesian food is called soto. Soto is soup with thin, white noodles, vegetables, an egg and lots of spices. The broth is spiced coconut milk--it is so delicious! I also love a nasi paket, which is a rice meal with meat or tofu, vegetables and potatoes, spices and a little bit of soup. Another one is mie ayam, which has noodles, soup and chicken, all topped with crunchy, salty chips. These meals are very popular in Indonesia because they are fast to prepare, easy to make and delicious!
My favorite meal in Pontianak is chai kue. Chai kue is a dumpling, or pocket of dough, filled with tasty roots and other vegetables.
