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 Real Balinese food is not
readily available to tourists unless a Balinese family invites the
tourist to a meal or he goes to a temple. Restaurants catering for
tourists do not serve authentic Balinese dishes, nor do hotels. The
reason is that there is too much preparation, large quantities have to
be prepared and it has to be eaten when it is fresh. It is often spicy
and very tasty. The Balinese traditionally used banana leaves as plates.
Balinese chickens are much healthier and have the taste of real chicken,
but can be tougher than Western battery-fed chickens. Battery-fed
chickens only live for 41 days, specially and artificially bred to
produce large chunks of breast and short legs. The rush is now on to
reduce the period of 41 days.
Etiquette
There are a number
of rules concerning food, drink and behavior. Cake is always served with
coffee or tea, nuts and krupuk with rice wine, and tea, water or tuak
with the meal. The host does not usually eat with guests
The Balinese eat with their right hand, as the left is impure, a common
belief throughout Indonesia. The Balinese do not hand or receive things
with their left hand and would not waive at anyone with their left hand.
Famous Balinese dishes
Famous
Balinese dishes are:
Lawar
traditionally cooked by men, who chop up strips of turtle or
mango or coconut, add various spices and mix it with uncooked blood,
so that it is red.
Babi Guling
roast suckling pig is a great favourite amongst the
Balinese, although the pigs are usually too old to be suckling -
from three to six months old, they are stuffed with spices, impaled
on a wooden pole and turned over a fire of coconut husks and wood
for one or two hours. |
Bebek Betutu
duck stuffed with spices and vegetables, wrapped in a banana
leaf, and cooked for three or four hours, this dish is eaten on
special occasions.
Rujak
a refreshing sweet and sour salad containing unripe fruit
such as mango or papaya, mixed with sugar, chill and salt.
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Sauces
There are some common sauces:
Sambal very spicy chili seasoning.
Kecap asin
sour soy sauce.
Kecap manis
sweet soy sauce.
Desserts
There are a number of desserts:
Black
rice pudding also known as tofu: soy bean curd.
Jaja
crunchy shelled soy beans that have been mixed with a special strain
of yeast to form a small flat cake, which are then friend - it
tastes a bit nutty. |
Snacks
Very tasty, but not spicy, dishes or snacks are:
Tahu or beancurd also known as tofu: soy bean curd.
Krupuk
prawn crackers.
Tempe
crunchy shelled soy beans that have been mixed with a special strain
of yeast to form a small flat cake, which are then friend - it
tastes a bit nutty.
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Balinese Drinks
Tuak, arak and brem are the main Balinese home brews:
Tuak
Tuak is made by cutting the undeveloped flower of either the coconut
or the sugar palm tree. You then collect the sugary liquid that
exudes into a bamboo container and ferment it. Fermented palm tree
juice is drunk all over tropical Asia, Africa and America. It is the
"toddy" of English colonialists and is drunk in the innumerable
small warungs all over the island. It has about the same alcoholic
content as beer.
Brem
Brem, pronounced "brum", is rice wine. It can be bought
commercially, but ours is home made. Like arak, it is used in almost
all ceremonies. It is a pleasant drink and can be drunk neat, over
ice or mixed with arak. It is sweet and is made from glutinous rice
or sticky rice (as it is also called). The rice is cooked for hours.
Yeast is added. It is then allowed to ferment for three days,
whereupon the brem drains into a pan. There are commercial
factories, but the taste is not so good. It is not exported. |
Arak
Arak is distilled tuak. It has a much higher alcoholic content and
is colourless. It has a very sharp, biting taste. Since there is no
fermentation, it can be bottled and sold. As the taste is
unpleasant, the Balinese mix it with spices. It can also be added to
coffee or mixed with brem. Arak is used as an offering in religious
ceremonies. Having no sugar content, arak will keep indefinitely,
unlike tuak. It cannot be a coincidence that the Mongols made
distilled liquor called airak.
Balinese Wine
In the
last few years, local wines have been produced, using Australian grapes.
There is red, white and rosé, grown and bottled by two companies, Hatten
and Wine of the Gods.
Spices
The
Balinese use a wide range of ingredients. Instructions on how to prepare
them are contained in the article entitled Balinese Recipes.
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Fragrant seeds and nuts: Base Wangen
Candlenut: Kemiri
The candlenut is oily and similar to the macadamia. It is obtained
from the candlenut tree. It is used for thickening sauces. It is
worked into a paste. It tastes nutty and cannot be eaten raw.
Substitutes would be cashews, macadamias, almonds, and brazil nuts.
Coriander seeds: Ketumbar
Coriander seeds are used in curries. Freshly ground coriander seeds
cool the body and settle the stomach. They can be used as a
substitute for pepper.
Long Pepper: Tabiabun
This is a hotter and sweeter type of pepper. It has a similar shape
to a chilli pepper. |
Cloves: Cengkeh
They grow in the Moluccas in East Indonesia. They have a distinct
camphor-like smell. They are used to make the distinct kretek
cigarettes in Indonesia.
Nutmeg: Pala
Cloves launched the European spice race. It is sweet, cools the
mouth and helps digestion.
Pepper: Merica
Pepper stimulates the appetite. Black pepper is more aromatic than
white pepper, but white pepper is hotter.
Sesame Seeds: Lenge
They are ground and used as a thickener. They are from India and are
one of the oldest seeds in the world. |
The rhizomes and roots: Base Bebungkilan
Galangal: Isen/Lengkuas/Laos
Galangal is a member of the ginger family. It is similar but larger
in appearance. It has a sweet, woody smell.
Turmeric: Kunyit
Turmeric grows in the ground and is about one meter high. It has
many fingers and is a member of the lily family. The skin of the
fingers is brown and the bright orange-yellow colour of the spice is
underneath. It is used to give colour to curries. It is also used in
herbal medicine for skin problems and cosmetics.
Kunyit
is a sacred dye because of its colour. The Balinese grow red, black
and white rice in the rice fields. To make yellow rice they colour
white rice with kunyit. It is required for certain offerings. Buy
small amounts only. For the story of the origin of kunyit, see the
article entitled Balinese Rice. |
Resurrection Lily: Kencur
Smaller than galangal, it is very fragrant and has a distinct taste
that is typical of Balinese food. It is mixed with candlenut,
turmeric and garlic to make suna cekoh, which is a delicious
seasoning. It is used in herbal remedies. The Thais call it pro hom.
Ginger: Jae
Ginger grows in Bali, but it probably comes from China. Fresh ginger
is much better than dried ginger. It helps digestion, stomach aches
and sore throats. Store it in a cool place. Break or cut off a
piece, then peel before slicing, chopping or crushing. |
The Shoots
Torch Ginger: Bongkot
This is a tall, wild ginger. The flowers are pink. The young shoot
and bud are known as kecicang and are used for cooking. In some
sambals the bud is eaten raw. It can be added to soups or curries as
an aromatic. The young shoot can be ground into a paste or bruised
and put in whole like lemongrass. It is used with seafood. |
Lemon Grass: Sereh
It is a short, thin grass with a distinct lemon flavour. It is
related to citronella and has a bulbous root. It is the bulbous root
that is used but it is not used much in Balinese cooking, but is
used a lot in Thai cuisine. It has vitamins A and D. |
The Sour Flavours
Tamarind: Lunak/Asam
Tamarind is a common spice used to give a sour taste. Tamarind trees
favour dry areas and are common in Bali. There are many in Singaraja,
north Bali. They are very tall, spreading trees with a peculiar,
lobed, tan fruit. The tamarind seed is in the fruit. Soak the seed
in water and use the solution to give the sour taste to dishes.
See the
article entitled Balinese Recipes on how to make tamarind water. The
dark red pulp is sold in blocks and can be soaked in water, then
strained and the juice used. Rhubarb or lemon juice could be used as
substitutes. |
Kaffir Lime: Jeruk Purut/Lemu
The leaves and the fruit are both used. The fruit is small and has a
strong lime flavour. The leaves, known as daun jeruk purut or daun
lemu, are dark green and smooth. The Balinese also use a type of
lime called calamondin or kalamansi, as it is called in the
Philippines. It is smaller than the Thai type. |
Sweet and Salty Flavours
Sea
Salt: Garam
Sea salt is the only salt used in Balinese cooking. It is produced
in the coastal regions, such as Goa Gawah in east Bali. It is added
to coconut milk.
Soy
Sauce: Kecap Asin/Kecap Manis
The Chinese introduced this to Indonesia. Kecap manis is
sweet and is used in marinades, stir-fried vegetables and sambals. |
Shrimp paste: Terasi/Belacan
This smelly seasoning is made from fermented crustaceans. In Bali it
is fried or roasted. It is stored wrapped in foil in a glass jar and
kept in the fridge. It is high in protein.
Palm Sugar: Gula Merah or Gula Bali
This caramelised sugar from the areca palm's flower bud is
widely used. It has iron, vitamin B and is lower in calories than
white sugar. Substitutes would be golden syrup or maple syrup. |
 Chilli: Cabe/Lombok/Tabia
Krinyi
Christopher Colombus
discovered the chilli in America. He thought it was pepper. The
Portuguese brought it to India about 1560. Chilli is an appetite
stimulant. The red chillis are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A. The
red and green peppers are also rich in vitamin C.
Cabe
This is the small, hot variety.
Lombok
This is the larger, milder version. |
Tabia Krinying
This is the smallest and hottest and the most popular in Bali. They
do not need to be seeded. The red ones are usually the hottest and
sweetest. |
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Garlic and Onions
Red Shallot: Bawang Merah
The Balinese use a lot of onions. The Balinese onion is similar to a
shallot but stronger and smaller. They are peeled and finely sliced
or pounded with other ingredients. The Balinese believe that onions
protect children from black magic. They are used in traditional
medicines. They cool the body and help skin problems and infections. |
Garlic: Bawang Putih
Balinese garlic is sweeter and smaller than in the west. They are
usually smashed and chopped up with a cleaver or ground into a paste
with other spices. It is sometimes deep fried and added with
deep-fried coconut for extra flavour.
Fried onions: Bawang Goreng
Small golden pieces of onion are frequently added to dishes,
including rice. |
Herbs and Leaves
Bay
leaf
The leaves are pointed at both ends. The leaf is medium green on
top, lighter on the underside, with veins on the bottom.
Pandan Leaf: Daun Pandan Harum
The Pandan leaf is used primarily for desserts, like black rice
pudding. The leaves are long and spear-shaped. Rice can be steamed
with pandan leaves. Water boiled with pandan leaves is very
refreshing. Pandan is a cooling ingredient in traditional medicines.
It helps with bleeding gums and skin disease. |
Hoary Basil: Kemangi
This is added to yellow rice for special occasions, such as the day
after Saraswati Day.
Salm Lead: Daun Salam
This leaf has a distinctive flavour and is usually used dried. It
has a subtle flavour |
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