Indonesia: stories from the archipelago

Java, Sumatra, and a thousand islands. Many of the region's oldest origin stories start here.

Indonesia is where many of the region's oldest stories start. Rendang comes from a Minangkabau slow-cooking method in West Sumatra. Satay was reworked by street vendors on Java before it crossed the Strait of Malacca. The word batik itself is Javanese.

Newer stories start here too. Indomie launched in 1972 and became a household staple.

Many of these things are loved across the Malay world and beyond. Rendang is festive food in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Batik is worn in all of them. This bureau treats that as shared heritage, always.

Every story tagged Indonesia is listed below, desk by desk.

Food · Snacks and street food

An illustration of the Backstory Asia globe mascot studying satay through its magnifying glass: thin bamboo skewers of glazed, charred meat grilling over glowing charcoal on a long, narrow brazier, beside a plate of cooked skewers, ketupat rice cakes, cucumber and raw red onion, and small dishes of peanut sauce and sweet soy with chilli, on a street in an old Javanese town at dusk. — Illustration: Backstory Asia, AI-generated

Satay: a kebab reworked on the streets of Java

Satay is thought to come from the Indian kebab, itself from the Turkish one. Java's street cooks reshaped it before it crossed the strait.

Published 13 October 2026

Food · Noodles

An illustration of the Backstory Asia globe mascot studying a plate of instant mi goreng through its magnifying glass, a fried egg on top, beside a dry noodle block and five small sachets of seasoning powder, oil, sweet soy sauce, chilli sauce and fried shallots, on a warung counter at night. — Illustration: Backstory Asia, AI-generated

Indomie: Japanese know-how, an Indonesian staple

Instant noodles were a Japanese idea. In 1972, Jakarta firm PT Sanmaru made Indomie the Indonesian version, and its 1982 Mi Goreng became a category of its own.

Published 8 October 2026

Food · Noodles

An illustration of the Backstory Asia globe mascot studying two bowls of laksa through its magnifying glass, a coconut curry laksa and a sour asam laksa, with rice noodles on one side and a stone mortar of spice paste, chillies, lemongrass and turmeric on the other, in an old Peranakan kitchen by a harbour. — Illustration: Backstory Asia, AI-generated

Laksa: born where Chinese noodles met Malay spice

The noodles came with Chinese traders, the paste from Malay kitchens. In 1950s Katong, two hawker brothers gave Singapore its own version of the bowl.

Published 8 October 2026

Food

Food: story, one-line hook, and place
Laksa: born where Chinese noodles met Malay spice	The noodles came with Chinese traders, the paste from Malay kitchens. In 1950s Katong, two hawker brothers gave Singapore its own version of the bowl.	Malaysia · Singapore · Indonesia
Indomie: Japanese know-how, an Indonesian staple	Instant noodles were a Japanese idea. In 1972, Jakarta firm PT Sanmaru made Indomie the Indonesian version, and its 1982 Mi Goreng became a category of its own.	Indonesia · Malaysia · Singapore
Satay: a kebab reworked on the streets of Java	Satay is thought to come from the Indian kebab, itself from the Turkish one. Java's street cooks reshaped it before it crossed the strait.	Indonesia · Malaysia · Singapore · Thailand

A new story publishes every weekday.

The desks

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