Indonesian food is diverse and delicious. To appreciate the food one must consider the immense area the country of Indonesia, an archipelago of 14,000 islands that spreads between Papua New Guinea, Australia and mainland South East Asia and home to 360 million inhabitants. Although predominantly Muslim the country is home to a diverse array of religions and cultures and over its history have been influences by even more. Not the lease being the Chinese, Indians, English, Dutch and Portuguese.  With the equator running straight through the country tropical foods are common to all cultures with rice being the staple and chilli sambals, coconut milk gravies and an assortment of sweet, salty and sour flavoured dishes.