Bakso (Jakarta Meatball)

by : Nur Syairah

Bakso (Indonesian Meatball)      

                                                                                                                      

One of the most widely available street food dishes (and in restaurants as well) and loved by nearly everyone, including President Barack Obama who grew up for some time in Jakarta, is bakso (or also known as baso), Indonesian meatballs. There are two main versions of bakso available, one is the Chinese style and the other is the more local Indonesian style which is both dishes are delicious. The recipe for bakso typically includes minced meat mixed with some tapioca starch and it is the tapioca starch which gives the meatballs their serious bouncy and addictive texture. You also can typically choose your choice of noodles, from thin white rice noodles, and yellow egg noodles (I’m a fan of egg noodles), and the bakso are then either served with the noodles and soup, or dry with soup on the side. This is a non spicy Indonesian dish, but there are always chilies and seasonings for you to add to your own bowl.