Joanna James
Bali is the Island of the Gods, a land of a thousand temples & cuisine to match its rich traditions. Listed below are five favourite dishes; exotic flavours to compliment the island's diverse culture.
A hot favourite on the island, Sate or Satay, as it is sometimes called, are skewers of marinated meat, grilled and served with a variety of spicy sauces. The skewers are available in a variety, consisting of sliced or diced, pork, beef, mutton, tofu, egg, fish and a minced blend of meats. You can also try the traditional Balinese version, called sate lilit; this is a mix of minced chicken, beef, fish, pork and even turtle in some instances. This minced meat is then mixed with fresh coconut, a blend of seasonal vegetables, coconut milk and exotic spices. The paste is then wrapped around a bamboo skewer, a stick of lemongrass or sugar cane, and grilled to a golden brown.
Most of the small eateries called warungs will serve this dish; a Balinese version of popular chicken rice. Most restaurants close to your villa in Uluwatu will serve hot-hot Nasi Ayam and Nasi Campur, a must try for some delicious comfort food. The dish is a serving of white rice accompanied by a meat, which is often babi buling or betutu. The rest is a variety of vegetables and the staple hot sambal matah. If you prefer the non-spicy version, ask for the rice minus the sambal.
Betutu is an iconic dish in Bali which is a whole duck or chicken stuffed with spices, wrapped in a banana leaf, cocooned in a banana trunk and cooked covered with coals underground. Sounds exotic? The dish certainly does taste as exotic as the island. Cooking time takes between 6 to 7 hours and is fully worth it, the result is a juicy and tender chicken, full of flavour and succulent; with the meat falling away from the bones. Betutu is the non-pork variety of the next cuisine. If you are a guest at Alila Villas Uluwatu there is the Warung restaurant to savour such Indonesian favourites.
Babi Guling is one dish to try, no matter where on the island you are based at. The dish is an all-time favourite which is a spit-roasted pig, stuffed with island spices and vegetables such as, cassava leaves. The pig is cooked by slowly rolling it over a coal fire on a spit. The crispy well-browned skin is the favourite while the tender juicy meat is a flavour to be reckoned with. This is a communal dish that is often cooked up during special occasions.
Tahu is a pretty versatile snack that is served in a variety of ways. Tahu is tofu that is stuffed, battered and fried to a crispy golden brown. The filling is similar to that of a spring roll; Tahu is often an accompaniment to rice.
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A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
