The Americans have hotdogs. The Italian have meatballs. And we have bakso. While these well-beloved meatballs have yet to find its way onto the plates of famous celebrity chefs, that doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of a closer inspection.
We have put together a list of ten bakso that one would usually come across in Indonesia with a series of beautifully illustrated drawings. This list goes on to show just how creative one can get with a simple dish.
Bakso Ranjau
This is the best bakso to prank your friend who doesn’t take spicy food. Why? Because it’s stuffed with hot chillies, that’s why. Jokes aside, this bakso demonstrate just how inseparable Indonesians are with chillies in a meal.
Bakso Telur
Like Bakso Ranjau, this is a bakso that likes to hide a surprise within itself. The size of this bakso is slightly amplified due to its egg stuffing. Some even contain quail egg. To quail eggs lover, it is most probably the best union of two most unlikely pair.
Bakso Urat
Bakso Urat is a mix of beef and beef vein rolled into one rough looking meatball. Sure, it sounds repulsive but it tastes just like a normal meatball once in mouth. Only this bakso carries more texture.
Bakso Gepeng
No shame for bakso that doesn’t look like one. Bakso Gepeng is what one would get when you smashed a normal meatball with your palm. Though Bakso Gepeng clearly belongs to the family of bakso, it is easily mistaken for fish cake at first glance.
Bakso Bakar
This bakso first started off its journey as a typical steamed meatball. Next, it’s grilled over charcoal fire before finally ended up getting impaled on to a stick. This bakso looks just like its cousin from Japan, Yakitori.
Bakso Polos/Halus
Of course, there is always that classic bakso to fall back on when things get a little wacky. Bakso Polos is that no-brainer choice whether you like your noodle dry or drenched in piping hot soup.
Bakso Kerikil
This bakso derives its name from its pebble-like size. These small meatballs are a combination of beef shank and beef vein. So even while they are small, bakso kerikil carries some serious chewing factor.
Bakso Tenis
This bakso is the largest amongst its siblings for its comparison to a tennis ball. Just don’t hurl them in a tennis court, obviously the similarity to a tennis ball ends at its size alone. Bakso Tenis is a mass of lean meat or, sometimes, stuffed with a whole chicken egg.
Bakso Tahu
Unlike Bakso Ranjau or Bakso Telur, Bakso Tahu doesn’t mind swapping its role. This bakso is stuffed into the skin of tofu instead of the other way round. It is usually serves in a soup or steamed and eaten as it is.
Bakso Sarang Burung
Now it might seem a little far-fetched to be calling this meatball Sarang Burung, which means bird’s nest in English. Still you got to give credit to whoever came up with its imaginative title. Bakso Sarang Burung is an assortment of meat, seafood (prawns) and vegetables (mushrooms, carrots, etc.). Best for those who prefer all the good stuffs in one bite.
