Last Updated on August 15, 2019 by Larissa
Satay grilling over coals made of coconut shells . . . fresh fish wrapped in banana leaves . . . fragrant coconut rice . . . these are some of the tastes of our recent visit to Bali. The island’s cuisine relies heavily on its abundant fish and produce, using techniques that are similar to its parent country of Indonesia. Somewhere along the way, however, a spice or a fruit or a special touch manages to make it uniquely Balinese. The minced meats for satays are mixed with shredded coconut. Three varieties of fresh ginger are used to prepare a basic curry blend. Tiny limes the size of marbles give a salad a refreshing tang. Wash it all down with a Bintang beer and go back for some more tomorrow . . .
Lemongrass, candlenuts, fresh turmeric, galangal, sweet & hot red chillies and shrimp paste are among the ingredients in base gede, the ubiquitous Balinese yellow sauce.
Mushrooms, lemongrass, red chillies, limes, Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves for clear mushroom soup.
Jukut Urab – A salad of coarsely grated grilled coconut and chopped snake beans tossed with base gede and garnished with crispy shallots.
Chicken satay is served over flaming hot coals right at the table. A peanut sauce is on the side.
The ultimate in Indonesian food, rijstaffel, which is Dutch for rice table. The multi-course, multi-dish meal is a treat. The Balinese style satay is wrapped around lemongrass stalks.
True Balinese food connoisseurs may have noticed that we left out Kopi Luwak, the famous coffee whose beans are, um, extruded from the working end of a civet cat. Look for an upcoming video with a Kopi Luwak taste test.
