Explore various Manadonese culinary specialties with unique spicy and savory flavors, from Manadonese Porridge to Paniki, which will pamper your taste buds.
Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi, is not only known for its stunning natural beauty, but also for its rich culinary delights.
The city offers many authentic dishes that combine spices typical of Eastern Indonesia, making it one of the culinary destinations that should not be missed. Various Manadonese specialties are famous for their spicy and savory taste, offering an unforgettable culinary experience.
If you are planning to visit Manado, here are 10 culinary specialties that you must try!
1. Manadonese Porridge (Tinutuan)
Manado Porridge or Tinutuan is an iconic dish from Manado. Different from regular porridge, Manadonese porridge is made from a mixture of vegetables such as pumpkin, spinach, kale, corn, and cassava.
Typical Manado Food often includes dishes with unique flavors, such as porridge with the addition of basil leaves that gives a distinctive fresh aroma.
This porridge is usually served with salted fish or fried chicken, complemented with roa chili sauce for a spicy taste that is appetizing.
If you want to try authentic Tinutuan, you can visit famous restaurants in Manado, such as Rumah Kopi Tikala.
2. Skipjack Tuna Noodles
Mie Cakalang is a typical Manado dish that you must try. Made with yellow noodles and smoked skipjack tuna chunks, this dish offers a very distinctive savory taste.
The rich spice sauce combined with spices such as garlic, shallots, and cayenne pepper creates a delicious spicy sensation.
Cakalang noodles are also often served with roa or dabu-dabu chili sauce to add to the deliciousness. Bastianos Megamas is one of the recommended places to taste the best Cakalang Noodles in Manado.
3. Tuturuga Chicken
Ayam Tuturuga is a typical Manadonese chicken dish that is similar to opor, but has a thicker and spicier sauce. The chicken is cooked with coconut milk and a mixture of spices such as shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and red chilies, creating a rich and fresh flavor.
This dish is best enjoyed with warm rice. You can try Ayam Tuturuga at Raja Oci Restaurant, which is famous for its seafood and Manadonese specialties.
4. Colombi Satay
Manado has a unique satay that is different from most other regions, namely Sate Kolombi. This satay is made from golden snail meat cooked with peanut sauce or Manado’s signature spicy chili sauce. The chewy texture of the snail meat provides a different and appetizing eating experience.
HoHo food stall in Manado is a recommended place to try this Sate Kolombi.
5. Skipjack Tuna
Cakalang Fufu is a processed smoked skipjack tuna that is processed by clamping it with bamboo, resulting in a dried fish with a distinctive smoky aroma. This dish is usually served with dabu-dabu chili sauce, providing an extraordinary combination of savory, spicy, and fresh flavors.
Kios 88 Kalawat is a famous place to taste delicious Cakalang Fufu in Manado.
6. Dabu Dabu
Dabu-dabu is a typical Manadonese chili sauce that should not be missed. This chili sauce is made from chopped chilies, fresh tomatoes, shallots, and lime juice, giving it a refreshing spicy and sour taste. Dabu-dabu is usually served with grilled fish or other seafood.
In Manado, you can find various variants of dabu-dabu such as grilled dabu-dabu and lemong dabu-dabu, all of which offer different spicy sensations.
7. Roa Chili Sauce
In addition to dabu-dabu, Manado is also famous for Sambal Roa, which is made from smoked roa fish that is ground with chili and spices. The savory taste with a distinctive touch of smoke makes this sambal a perfect complement to various dishes, such as rice, grilled fish, or Mie Cakalang.
Sambal Roa is often used as a souvenir by tourists because of its long-lasting and authentic deliciousness.
8. Panic
Paniki is an exotic Manadonese dish made from bat meat. Although it may sound extreme to some people, bat meat cooked with coconut milk and typical Manado spices offers a rich and spicy taste. Paniki has a soft meat texture and the spices are perfectly absorbed.
For those who want to try a unique culinary adventure, Paniki must be on your list.
9. Goh
Gohu is a typical Manadonese pickled fruit made from thinly sliced young papaya soaked in a mixture of water, vinegar, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and salt. This dish is served cold, providing a spicy, sour, and fresh taste that is perfect for hot weather.
Its fresh taste makes Gohu a popular snack among the people of Manado.
10. Tinoransak
Tinoransak is a pork dish cooked with typical Manadonese spices such as chili, lemongrass, garlic and shallots. The pork is cut into small pieces and cooked until tender with the spices perfectly absorbed, creating a strong spicy and savory taste.
This dish is usually served at special occasions or celebrations in Manado, and offers a very authentic taste.
With a variety of typical dishes rich in spices and spicy flavors that are appetizing, Manadonese cuisine will surely satisfy anyone who tastes it.
Typical North Sulawesi Food ranges from Manadonese Porridge to Paniki, with each dish offering a unique and unforgettable taste experience. Don’t miss the chance to try these culinary delights when you visit Manado!
