Home cooking attempt — Bakso from scratch

I spent an afternoon making Bakso from scratch following a traditional recipe. Getting terasi shrimp paste right was the main challenge — it's not as straightforward as it looks. The complex from slow-cooked rendang result was rewarding once I got it right.

Indonesian cuisine spans over 17,000 islands with dramatically different regional traditions. I served it with Bintang beer as the recipe suggested and the pairing made sense. It took longer than I expected but the outcome was genuinely satisfying. Making Bakso yourself gives you a new appreciation for what goes into it at a restaurant.