Indonesia is well-known as an archipelago country with its diverse races and ethnic groups living harmoniously with each other. It affects culture, customs, religions, and even traditional food. Aside from being famous for its phenomenal cuisine, this beautiful country also has a wide range of unexpectedly bizarre foods beyond one's imagination.

Many find those foods as exotic delicacies as they have been served with those since a long time ago. Many find those as bizarre or extreme as they have never tasted before. Whatever the opinions, for sure those foods have been consumed by local people for generations and are believed to give health benefits. Jagojalan has curated a list of bizarre or extreme Indonesian foods that will keep you in awe. So let's check them out!

1. Paniki

Are you a fan of Batman? Have you ever imagined eating Batman? If not, you might wanna go to Manado, North Sulawesi region, the people there turn a wild bat into a delicious dish called Paniki. Fried bats and bats satay are also local's favourite.

Paniki is often cooked with coconut milk, chillies, and other strong spices to get rid of the bat tangy smell. This extreme or bizarre food is good to cure asthma, allergy and is believed to boost one's stamina. Wanna try this unusual dining experience?

2. Belalang Goreng (Deep-fried Grasshopper)

If you're fond of the fried insects in Thailand street food, you might like this too. Yes, in Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta region, there are many street vendors that sell deep-fried grasshoppers. The local people used to expel their wings and legs then marinate them with garlic, salt, kaffir leaves, and coriander before frying them to a crisp. Many people enjoy this unusual snack during Ramadan.

Many said that initially, this food existed because many grasshoppers that attacked the farmers' fields eating their crops, so the farmers caught the grasshoppers and then fried them to eat because they didn't know what to do with the grasshoppers. Some say that it tastes like fried chicken. It is also believed that this bizarre food contains high protein for the body.

3. Sate Kelinci (Rabbit Satay)

What do you think of when you see a rabbit? A cute and sweet animal, right? But what if I serve a plate of rabbit satay for you? Are you going to eat it? Or do you dare to witness a cute and sweet bunny slaughtered and transformed into a delicacy?

Sate Kelinci or Rabbit Satay in English is a common dish here in Indonesia as you can find many street vendors serve it. The meat of these fuzzy mammals is cut into small pieces, skewered, then grilled over the charcoal. This dish is often served with compressed rice cake, spicy peanut sauce, and sliced shallot. For a better taste, add some sweet soy sauce and chilli sauce.

4. Ulat Sagu (Sago Worms)

Ulat Sagu or Sago Worms is the next bizarre food from East Indonesia like Papua and Maluku. However, don't feel disgusted first because actually, this food is delicious with its savoury and juicy texture. Locals obtain sago worms from sago trees or coconut trees. Most of them eat it raw. But it also can be served grilled or boiled if you don't wanna swallow it alive.

Sago worms are rich in protein, amino acids, and are free from cholesterol. Spicy chilli sauce is a good sidekick to enjoy this dish to add more flavour. Dare to try? If you ever travel to East Indonesia, makes sure you get a bite of it.

5. Lawar

Lawar is a famous Balinese traditional dish cooked from minced meat, fresh blood, shredded coconut and Balinese herbs. Initially, this food is used by the locals for offering to their God in some religious ceremonies. But now it's transformed into a common dish which you can find in almost every food stall in Bali.

Lawar is often served with steamed rice and roasted suckling pork. There are several types of Lawar like Pork Lawar which is made of pork and Jackfruit Lawar which uses jackfruit as the main ingredient. If you travel to Bali, don't miss this bizarre food.

6. Sate Ular (Snake Satay)

You can find Sate Ular or Snake Satay when strolling down the bustling streets of Jakarta, especially in the Mangga Besar area. The street vendors usually present this bizarre dish using cobra meat grilled over charcoal. Sate Ular is often served with cut shallot, sweet soy sauce, and spicy peanut sauce.

This unusual food is usually accompanied by some reptile's fresh blood mixed with arak (traditional Indonesian booze). It is believed that the food is good to cure skin allergies but some believe that it also helps the sexual drive.

7. Tikus Panggang (Grilled Rat)

North Sulawesi might be the source of bizarre food origin. Another extreme food from this region is Tikus Panggang or Grilled Rat. Yes, you read it right. It's grilled rats. As many know that rats are dirty animals, but you don't have to worry for the locals only use wood rats rather than the filthy ones.

It's grilled with local spices which makes it tastes like fried chicken. This dish might sound and look weird yet it tastes good. With its luscious and tender texture, it's worth tasting. But don't get disturbed while taking a nibble of it!

8. Sate Biawak (Monitor Lizard Satay)

The next bizarre food that is no less delicious is Sate Biawak or Monitor Lizard Satay. Javanese residents have been consuming this komodo-lookalike reptile since a long time ago. The meat is long known as the cure for some diseases like asthma and skin problems. Some even sell the extraction oil from this reptile for curing skin allergy.

Locals usually cook this reptile meat by grilling it till tender and get it skewered as satay. Then the malleable smoky dish is covered with spicy peanut sauce. Before grilling, the meat is smothered with local herbs to get rid of the tangy smell. It tastes really good, some even say it's more delicious than chicken satay. Dare to try?

9. Keripik Ceker (Chicken Feet Chips)

Keripik Ceker is a crispy snack that can be easily found on the island of Bali and Java. Keripik Ceker is literally translated to Chicken Feet Chips. Chicken feet have already become a local food in various regions and countries. You can find steamed chicken feet on Chinese Dim sum. As popular Indonesian food, Soto is also often added with chicken feet in it to add more flavour.

Locals usually marinate the chicken feet with salt, pepper, garlic, coriander, and lime leaves before deep-frying it. For the best dining experience, eat it with hot steamed rice and spicy sambal. The crisp will taste so good when entering your palate.

10. Sate Susu (Cow Udders Satay)

Satay is an Indonesian national dish as you can find from street vendors to fancy restaurants serve this dish. But there is a bizarre dish of satay. Sate Susu is a kind of satay made from cow udders.

During the Ramadan month, Javanese Muslims usually consume Sate Susu to break the fast. The cow udders are cut into pieces, skewered, then marinated with some spices after that grilled over the charcoal. Apart from its weird look, it turns out to be a delicious dish. The chewy texture mixed with savoury and spicy taste makes a harmonious combination when down to your palate. The locals serve it as a must-eat dish for breaking the fast.

That's the list of the most bizarre Indonesian food. Some may consider it bizarre or extreme, yet many local Indonesian have consumed it for generations. Dare to try? Let us know in the comment section below!