menumis

Menumis is a cooking technique common in Indonesian and Malay cuisines that describes frying aromatics and spice pastes in hot oil over medium heat until fragrant and the paste releases its oils. It is a form of sautéing used to develop a flavor base for a dish.

The process typically starts with heating oil in a wok or skillet. Aromatics such as garlic, shallots, and fresh chili are added and sautéed until softened and lightly browned. Ground spices or bumbu halus (a paste made from herbs and spices) are then added and cooked, often until the mixture thickens and the oil begins to separate from the paste. This blooming of flavors creates a rich, aromatic base to which other ingredients—meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, or sauces—are subsequently added.

Menumis is essential in many regional dishes and sauces, forming the flavor core of countless Indonesian and Malay recipes. It is used to build curries, fried rice, stews, sambals, and other preparations where a pronounced spice oil is desirable. The technique can vary by recipe, with adjustments to oil quantity, cooking time, and the balance of aromatics to suit the dish.

Etymology and linguistic note: The term derives from the Indonesian word tumis, meaning to sauté; the prefix me- marks a transitive verb, so menumis literally means to sauté something.