10 Traditional West Sumatran Foods That Are Famous for Being Delicious & Tasty

10 Traditional West Sumatran Foods That Are Famous for Being Delicious & Tasty

Enjoy the deliciousness of various traditional West Sumatran foods which are famously delicious and tasty, from rendang to martabak kubang!

West Sumatra or better known as Minangkabau, besides being rich in culture, is also famous for its traditional cuisine that is world-famous.

Typical West Sumatran food has a strong taste, generally characterized by rich spices and cooking techniques that make it unique.

Here are 10 Traditional West Sumatran Foods that are famous for being delicious and tasty, you must try them!

1. Beef stew

Beef stew
Photo: X/Eat Simple

Rendang is perhaps the most famous food from West Sumatra, even recognized as one of the most delicious foods in the world.

Rendang is a beef dish cooked for a long time with coconut milk and various spices, such as galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, chilies, shallots, garlic, and ginger. This long cooking process makes rendang have a soft meat texture and rich flavor.

Rendang is not only known in Indonesia, but is also popular in other countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

2. Padang Satay

Sate Padang is a variant of satay typical of West Sumatra that uses beef or chicken that is cut into small pieces, then grilled over hot coals.

This satay is served with a thick yellow sauce made from meat broth and a mixture of spices such as turmeric, coriander, and galangal.

Unlike satay from other regions that use peanut sauce or soy sauce, the thick, savory and spicy sauce is the hallmark of Padang satay. This satay is very delicious eaten with ketupat or lontong.

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3. Spicy beef jerky

Dendeng balado is processed beef that is thinly sliced, then fried until dry and served with balado chili sauce. Sambal balado is a chili sauce made from red chilies fried with shallots and other spices.

The spicy and savory taste of balado dendeng makes it very popular with spicy food lovers. There is also a softer variation of dendeng, namely dendeng batokok, where the beef is pounded until tender before being fried and drizzled with chili sauce.

4. Duck Curry

Duck Curry
Photo: X/Eat Simple

Gulai Duck is a dish made from duck or goose cooked with typical Minang gulai spices. This dish uses coconut milk and spices such as turmeric, chili, lemongrass, and lime leaves which give it a savory and spicy taste.

The duck meat used is usually young duck so that it is more tender and does not smell fishy . Duck curry is usually served with warm rice, and its rich spiced taste is very appetizing.

5. Pical

Pical or also known as Minang pecel is a vegetable dish drizzled with peanut sauce. The difference with pecel from Java is that the typical West Sumatran pical uses a thinner sauce with the addition of typical Minang spices, such as kandis acid and coconut milk.

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The vegetables used are usually long beans, bean sprouts, and cassava leaves that have been boiled first. Pical is often eaten as a light breakfast or appetizer before the main course.

6. Kapau Curry

Kapau Gulai is a typical gulai dish originating from Kapau Village, Bukittinggi. This food is made from vegetables such as young jackfruit, cabbage, and long beans cooked in thick, savory and spicy coconut milk sauce.

In some variations, this curry is also added with pieces of beef, chicken, or beef offal. Gulai Kapau is often sold in kapau rice stalls, which serve other typical Minang dishes such as rendang and dendeng.

7. Sour and Spicy Fish

Asam Padeh Fish is a dish made from fish cooked in a spicy sour sauce. This dish usually uses tuna, but other fish such as snapper are also often used. The sour sauce comes from kandis acid, while the spiciness comes from red chili.

Unlike many other Minang dishes that use coconut milk, Ikan Asam Padeh is cooked without coconut milk, so the sauce is lighter but still rich in flavor.

8. Padang Soto

Padang Soto
Photo: X/Pdgfess

Soto Padang is a typical soto from West Sumatra that has a clear broth with a distinctive savory taste. Unlike soto from other regions that generally use coconut milk or thick broth, Soto Padang has a lighter and fresher broth.

The beef used in this soto is usually fried first until dry, then served with rice vermicelli, potato croquettes, and sprinkled with fried onions. The warm and savory broth is perfect to enjoy in cold weather.

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9. Fried Rice

Lamang Tapai is a typical West Sumatran dessert made from sticky rice cooked in bamboo and served with tapai or black sticky rice tape.

The process of making lamang is quite unique, namely by putting sticky rice into bamboo lined with banana leaves, then grilled over hot coals .

The chewy texture of lamang combined with the sweet and slightly sour taste of tapai creates a delicious combination of flavors. Lamang Tapai is usually served at traditional events or big days.

10. Kubang Martabak

Kubang Martabak
Photo: X/Terry Perdanawati

Martabak Kubang is a variant of Minangkabau martabak which is different from martabak in general. This martabak is filled with minced meat mixed with eggs and spices such as shallots, garlic, and pepper.

The thin and crispy martabak dough combined with its savory filling makes Martabak Kubang very popular.

This martabak is often served with vinegar sauce which gives a fresh and slightly sour taste as a complement.

Typical Padang Food never fails to captivate culinary lovers. Rich in herbs and spices, each dish served is not only appetizing, but also reflects a valuable cultural heritage.

If you are a fan of food with a strong taste, don’t miss the opportunity to taste these various Minang specialties.