Gorontalese cuisine

Gorontalese cuisine or Gorontalo cuisine is a genuine cuisine and taste of the Gorontalese People of Gorontalo Peninsula, Northern part of Sulawesi island, Indonesia. It is also known as Hulontalo cuisine by perantauan (migrating) Gorontalo people after "Hulontalo", the local language name for Gorontalo.

Gorontalese cuisine known for its fresh seafood, prepared using a full-palette of spices, herbs.

The strategic location of Gorontalo, between the Celebes Sea and Pacific Ocean in the north, and also Gulf of Tomini in the south, has made the Gorontalo region a strategic shipping route in the past. This long past history has formed the roots of a unique and distinctive culture in Gorontalo, including its unique dishes. Therefore, Gorontalo is also known as the land of spices with a unique taste of culinary.

Along with the division of Gorontalo into a province and the separation from North Sulawesi, Gorontalo's cuisine has become increasingly popular and well recognized as one of the Indonesian national culinary heritage.

Traditions and characteristics of Gorontalo cuisine
Gorontalo cuisine is famous for its varied menu of seafood, hot local chilies, and iconic spices, developed by the local people, especially from the Gorontalo Sultanate recipe.

From the use of spices, Gorontalo cuisine characterizes a simple food with notes of fresh aroma and sweet taste because it uses leaf spices such as basil leaves and pandan leaves).

Gorontalo cuisine is marked by a multi-cultural influence from other communities who migrated to Gorontalo, such as Arabs, Chinese, Ternate-Tidore cultures, and other communities who came in Gorontalo. Gorontalo's pastries are also famous for their sweetness and it has influence from European culture brought by the Dutch.

International awards
A Gorontalo recipe book published and popularized by Amanda Katili Niode from the Omar Niode Foundation. This recipe book is entitled "Trailing the Taste of Gorontalo" and has received appreciation from national and international culinary activists. including Chef William Wongso and Elena Aniere from Slow Food International.

Yantai, China and Frankfurt, Germany
The Gorontalo recipe book "Trailing the Taste of Gorontalo" won the "Best in the World" award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Award in Yantai, China in 2016 for the Asian Cuisine from Asian Books category. In addition, this Gorontalese recipe book has the opportunity to appear to represent one of Indonesia's culinary treasures at the Gourmet Gallery in the Frankfurt Book Fair 2016 series, Germany.

Cooking techniques
Traditional cuisines in Gorontalo are named based on the cooking techniques, such as:


 * Boiling (ilahe and bilanggahe)

In Gorontalo culinary, the technique of boiling fish or other proteins is named differently with that of boiling carbohydrate foods. The technique of boiling fish, prawn, and meat is named "ilahe", while boiling banana, corn, or taro is named "bilanggahe".


 * Grilling (ilalango and tilenehu)

As with the process of boiling, the naming of dish that involves grilling is different between protein and carbohydrate dishes. The technique of grilling protein dishes, such as meat and fish, is called "ilalango", while that of grilling banana, corn, or taro is called "tilenehu".


 * Frying (tilinanga)

Frying In terms of frying technique, there is no difference in the naming of the dish in reference to either protein or carbohydrate dishes. All fried dishes are called "tilinanga". For example, a fried banana is called lambi tilinanga, and a fried fish is called tola tilinanga. One exception is for fried flour-coated banana, it is called sanggala.


 * Wrapping (ilepa'o)

The technique of steaming wrapped dishes is called "ilepa’o" with the banana-leaf package containing food and then steamed or grilled on charcoal.

Special type of spice mixture
Gorontalo also has typical spice mixture such as:


 * pilitode and iloni

Pilitode is a genuine type of Gorontalese gulai sauce and iloni is a type of Gorontalese grilling sauce. Both of it are using candlenut, ginger, turmeric and coconut milk. This type of dish usually involves fish, chicken, beef, and seafood, as well as banana, cassava, and pumpkin.