The traditional cuisines in Riau Islands are heavily influenced by the culture of the Malays, India, and ethnic Chinese. Some cuisines are also influenced by Javanese, Balinese, Bugis, tribes in Sumatra, tribes in Kalimantan, and even European, notably Britain and the Netherlands cultures. To get to know more, here is the list of traditional cuisines that you can find in the Riau Islands.
Kernas Natuna
Kernas Natuna is Riau Islands’ traditional food made from a mixture of fish and sago. The food is itself is considered quite simple. The mix of two raw ingredients creates a surprisingly delicious taste. To get it, you can just stop by Selahang Gulf Coast or better known as Cape Coast. There are many available stalls which sell Kernas Natuna.
Laksa / Laksa
Laksa is a noodle dish that comes from Peranakan culture, mixed with Chinese and Malay. Laksa has several forms, and the most known are Laksa Penang, rounded shape noodles which are white and somewhat thick. There are also other kinds of Laksa in Indonesia, for example, Laksa Betawi Bogor. Laksa name is taken from the Sanskrit, that has many meanings, suggesting that the Laksa noodles made with various herbs.
Mie Lendir/ Slimy Noodle
Mie Lendir is one of that regular culinary food from Batam that much-loved by many people. Other than it’s typical food to the local, it is a piece of cake to make. Mie Lendir itself has ingredients that are not much different from other noodle dishes. The main difference is that the noodle is made from sweet potato.
Mie Tarempa / Tarempa Noodle
Mie Tarempa is fried noodle from Riau Islands. Compared to other fried noodles, Mie Tarempa has an obvious distinction that is using tuna meat sauce. The noodle is named Tarempa because it is initially coming from an area named Tarempa in Anambas. It is a seashore predominantly inhabited by sailors, so it is not surprising that the sauce used in Tarempa noodles are from tunas. Mie Tarempa is using original ingredients from Tarempa, which is why the taste of this fried noodle dish is quite unique.