The Science of Spice

52

The simple

selection of

spices for adobo

marinade.

Spread across an archipelago of more than 17,000

islands with strong natural resources and long-

established trade routes, Indonesia enjoys a spice

palette that’s as eclectic as the heritage of its people.

The traditional saying “if your eyes do not water, the

food is not good” hints at a nation that fully embraced

the 16th-century arrival of the chilli pepper, but there

is more to Indonesian cuisine than eye-watering

heat. Fragrant local spices mix with exotic imports

from Persia, India, and China to create dishes with

complex depth of flavour.

INDONESIA

Vibrant | Complex | Diverse

Adobo is a Spanish

term applied by

colonists to the native

Filipino technique of

preserving meat with

vinegar and spices.

LOCAL SPICE BLEND

Bumbu

Many Indonesian recipes are based on some

kind of bumbu (spice paste). Every region –

and cook – has their own favourite version.

This one’s quite classic.

1 tsp coriander seeds

3 cloves

(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp white peppercorns
1 pinch grated nutmeg
1.5cm (^1 ⁄ 2 in) galangal, peeled
and roughly chopped
2.5cm (1in) fresh turmeric,
peeled and roughly chopped
6 shallots, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves,
roughly chopped
2 red chillies, roughly chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
You can use a blender, but the best flavour is achieved by
pounding using a pestle and mortar: start with the dry spices,
then add fibrous galangal and turmeric, followed by the
remaining fresh ingredients, finally mixing in the shrimp paste.
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the spice mixture,
and cook over a high heat, stirring frequently,
for approximately 5 minutes, or until the paste
turns golden. Cool before using.
Signature
Garlic, ginger, shallot
Indonesian cooks draw on
a wide range of spices, but
few are used as extensively as
this trio, which form the base
notes for countless recipes.
Supporting
Nutmeg, mace, clove, salam leaf,
galangal, lemongrass, pandan
leaf, lime leaf, tamarind, chilli,
turmeric, cumin, cinnamon
Indigenous nutmeg, mace,
and cloves mingle with
fresh, aromatic leaves
and roots – including
sour, astringent salam
leaf – and the warm notes
of Spice Route imports.
Supplementary
Black pepper, coriander, curry
leaf, cardamom, curry powder,
Sichuan pepper, caraway, anise
Further spices from India,
along with Sichuan pepper
from China, and caraway
and anise from the
Mediterranean, complete
Indonesia’s broad-ranging
arsenal of flavours.
SPICE
PALETTE
World of Spice
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052-053_Indonesia_Philippines.indd 52 04/06/2018 15:46