Culinary Adventure: Exploring the Delights of Local Food in Bali
Culinary Adventure of Bali – The island of Bali, not only offers stunning natural charm, but also spoils culinary explorers with its unique flavors and rich cooking traditions.
From “nasi campur”, “babi guling” to “sate babi”, every dish here is a harmonious blend of Balinese spices and traditional cooking techniques. Roadside stalls to beachfront fine dining restaurants all take us on an unforgettable culinary journey.
1. Nasi Campur Bali
Nasi campur Bali (Balinese mixed rice), is a very famous culinary on the island of the Gods. It consists of rice and various types of side dishes. Side dishes include shredded meat, lawar, boiled or fried eggs and satay lilit.
The specialty of Balinese mixed rice lies not only in the combination of side dishes, but also in the sambal and complementary dishes that create an extraordinary harmony of flavors.
2. Ayam Betutu
Ayam betutu is a traditional Balinese dish made from chicken covered in base genep (a traditional Balinese spice) and cooked for a long time so that all the spices are fully absorbed. This long cooking process results in tender chicken meat.
In serving, betutu chicken is generally served with several side dishes such as plecing kangkung (kale boiled and served with sambal terasi), fried peanuts, and sambal terasi.
3. Babi Guling
Babi Guling is a Balinese favorite. This dish is prepared by roasting a whole pig over hot coals. Before roasting, the pig is seasoned with traditional Balinese spices. The roasting process takes hours until the pig’s skin is crispy and the meat is tender.
What about the taste? The question of taste is unquestionable, the long roasting process plus the traditional Balinese spices make Babi Guling have a tender meat texture plus a savory taste and fragrant aroma of spices. In addition to the meat, the crispy skin is also the hallmark of this culinary delight.
4. Lawar
Lawar is a traditional Balinese dish that mesmerizes the palate with its unique combination. Consisting of finely chopped meat, vegetables such as long beans, young jackfruit or young papaya, grated coconut, and Balinese spices, lawar offers a touch of rich flavor and alluring texture.
There are several variants of lawar commonly found in Bali such as lawar babi and lawar ayam. As the name implies, lawar babi is made from pork while lawar ayam is made from chicken. The process of making it often involves skillful hands in mixing all the main ingredients. Lawar is not only a delicious dish, but also has a high cultural value as it is often served in traditional events and religious ceremonies.
5. Sate Babi
Satay Babi in indonesia “sate babi” is a Balinese dish that captivates the palate with its blend of rich flavors and penetrating spices. The dish consists of pork cut into small pieces, seasoned with Balinese spices, and skewered before being grilled. This process gives the pork satay its unique and distinctive flavor.
Balinese pork satay is often served with ketupat (a typical food made of rice wrapped in diamond shaped-woven coconut leaves and boiled in water) and its signature sauce which has a sweet and spicy flavor.