NAVIGATING INDONESIA’S CULINARY DELIGHTS WITH DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
One of the greatest benefits of remote work is the liberty to explore different places. The chance to venture out and discover new corners of the world is an immense privilege, with the consensus being that sampling new cuisines tops the list of enjoyable experiences. As you traverse various destinations, you're greeted with the chance to taste ingredients and specialties previously unknown to you, often leading to delightful new favorites.
If you have dietary restrictions, you might feel limited in how much you can enjoy the food you find on your travels. How can you feel safe and confident that your meals will be appropriate for your particular food needs?
Imagine yourself preparing for a trip to Indonesia. The food is bound to be delicious and unique, and a traveler would be remiss not to try some of the traditional dishes and ingredients offered there. While caution will definitely be your friend, sticking to a few simple ground rules will usually allow you to dine with relative ease. Read on to see a few suggestions, and use them to form some rules of your own. This way, the food portion of your Indonesian trip will be tailor-made for you!
Communicate Dietary Restrictions Clearly
The best way to ensure that you’re only eating what you want to is to communicate your food needs clearly. A couple of Indonesian phrases can really help you out when buying ingredients or ordering food at a restaurant.
For example, “Saya tidak bisa makan daging,” which means, “I cannot eat meat,” will be a helpful one for anyone who follows a vegetarian or vegan diet. If you’re trying to avoid gluten, practice the phrase, “Saya alergi terhadap gluten” (“I am allergic to gluten”).
You’ll have to cater your phrase to your specific dietary needs, of course. It may be a good idea to get a basic understanding of the Bahasa Indonesia language in general so that you can be especially clear. Try out a language-learning app such as Duolingo or Babbel to get started, and you’ll find that you’re much more confident in your Indonesian food adventure.
Research Traditional Dishes
Believe it or not, there is a chance that some traditional Indonesian dishes will align with your particular dietary needs! Do a bit of research before you travel, and see if you can find any dishes that you can enjoy with your dietary restrictions.
For example, a dish like Gado-Gado is a popular choice for many dietary needs. It’s a vegetable salad with peanut sauce, so it’s a great choice for anyone who doesn’t eat meat. Since it’s a traditional dish, it’s also quite easy to find. Here are some highly recommended spots to find Gado-Gado in Jakarta, and here are a few other delicious options for vegetarians in Indonesia.
Take note, though: it’s best to be careful with different sauces. Make sure to ask about ingredients and preparation practices if you’re unsure. As long as you can communicate your questions clearly, restaurants and vendors should be happy to tell you all the ingredients.
Allergy Translation Cards
This one is a good idea for people with dietary restrictions traveling anywhere: before you go, print out a card in Bahasa Indonesia that lists your particular needs. Make sure to edit it and have someone who is familiar with the language look it over for you before you travel to Indonesia. You can then show this card at restaurants, street market stands, or any other time you’re buying food.
It provides an extra level of confidence that your dietary preferences are being clearly communicated despite any unfamiliarity with the language that you might have.
There are existing websites that you can order allergy translation cards from and plenty of templates online that you can follow to make your own. It’s very likely that you can come up with a card on your own at home that clearly lists all of your specific needs.
Use Food Delivery Apps
Although they can be a more expensive option, there is a great perk to ordering food through a delivery app: filters. You can be very specific about what you are looking for (and what you aren’t looking for) just by switching on a few settings, and this includes dietary preferences.
However, for digital nomads and slow travelers, this is a less viable option. As mentioned above, ordering food on delivery apps is quite expensive. It’s doable every now and then if you really don’t feel like getting up off the couch, but it costs quite a lot, and it’ll add up quickly if this is your main source of food.
Connect with Locals
There’s a high chance that someone in the region you’re visiting has the same (or similar) dietary restrictions as you do. Perhaps the most satisfying way to ensure you’re eating the way you want to is to ask some of these local people to help you out! If you can make a few friends who know the area and are familiar with your diet, they’ll be able to easily direct you toward the type of food you need.
How do you meet people with dietary restrictions, though? You could start by checking out vegetarian restaurants, and any street markets offering vegetarian food, and asking around. Even if the people you meet don’t specifically have dietary restrictions themselves, they still may be able to point you in the direction of more specialized food options. And even if they can’t help you, it’s a conversation starter so you’ll at least have the opportunity to make some new friends!
Final Word
With a bit of prior research, your food journey in Indonesia is sure to be a breeze. People there have a reputation for being friendly and accommodating, so don’t be shy about asking questions and stating your food needs clearly. As long as you’ve prepared yourself as best you can, you should be able to thrive!
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