Hidden Animal Ingredients in Indonesian Food (Terasi, Krupuk)

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, so pork is rare. But that does not make the food vegetarian. The animal products come from the sea, mostly shrimp paste and fish, and they are folded into the sambal that accompanies nearly every meal.

Key Takeaways

• Shrimp paste (terasi) is the hidden ingredient in sambal and many Indonesian dishes.
• Shrimp crackers (krupuk) are served with almost every meal and are not vegetarian.
• Fish sauce and dried anchovies also appear, and egg is in nasi goreng.
• “Halal” means no pork, not vegetarian, so it is not a guide for plant-based eaters.

TL;DR: Indonesian food hides animal products in shrimp paste, shrimp crackers and fish. The sambal on the table usually contains terasi, and the crackers are made from shrimp. Halal is not the same as vegetarian.

Shrimp paste: terasi in the sambal

Sambal, Indonesia’s chili condiment, is the classic gotcha. The traditional version is made with terasi, a fermented shrimp paste, which gives it a deep savory flavor. HappyCow, the vegetarian restaurant directory, lists shrimp paste among the hidden animal ingredients to watch in Southeast Asian food (HappyCow, retrieved 2026-08-25).

Because sambal is served with almost everything, a vegetable dish can be non-vegetarian from the condiment alone.

Krupuk: the shrimp crackers

Krupuk (or kerupuk) are the crispy crackers served on the side of nearly every Indonesian meal. The classic version is made from shrimp or fish, so they are not vegetarian, even though they look like a neutral snack. This is the ingredient travelers miss most, because it is a side dish, not the main event.

Other things to watch

• Fish sauce (kecap ikan) in some stir-fries.
• Dried anchovies (ikan teri) in some sambals and dishes.
• Egg in nasi goreng (fried rice) and martabak.
• Chicken or beef in rendang, satay and many curries.

The halal vs vegetarian distinction

A key point for travelers: “halal” in Indonesia means the food is permissible for Muslims, which rules out pork, but it says nothing about shrimp paste, fish or meat. So a halal-certified sambal or snack can still contain terasi or shrimp. A guide to eating vegetarian in Indonesia emphasizes asking about terasi specifically rather than assuming (Fun With Indonesian, retrieved 2026-08-25).

How to order

1. Ask if the sambal has terasi, and request a fresh chili sambal instead.
2. Skip the krupuk unless told it is a vegetable cracker.
3. Ask for no egg in nasi goreng, and no meat or fish sauce in other dishes.
4. Scan packaged Indonesian products. A scanner app flags shrimp paste, fish sauce and shrimp against your diet.

See our Indonesia common-ingredients guide for a fuller list.

The bottom line

Indonesian food hides animal products in its condiments and crackers. Shrimp paste (terasi) and shrimp crackers (krupuk) are the two to watch, and halal does not mean vegetarian. Ask about the sambal, skip the crackers, or let a scanner check packaged products.

Check before you eat. The Verify Veg app scans a barcode or reads an ingredient list from a photo and flags ingredients against your diet (vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, Jain and more). Download on the App Store - Android is coming soon.

Written by Samir Narain, founder of Verify Veg. Verify Veg helps people check packaged food against their diet by scanning barcodes and reading ingredient lists from photos.

Note: Verify Veg provides ingredient-based compatibility checks, not certification. Recipes and preparations vary by restaurant, region and cook, so always confirm with the restaurant, brand or vendor.