Bali Island – although it is part of the large country of Indonesia, it lives according to its own customs, traditions and orders. It has its own religion, its own architecture, its own special atmosphere and, of course, its own Balinese cuisine, which is different from Indonesian. Bali cuisine is not as spicy as, for example, in Java or Sumatra; the main dish here is made from pork, which is avoided by the rest of the Muslim part of Indonesia; a mix of spices that all local housewives use is also some kind of their own, special, exclusively Balinese.
Bali is an island of Hinduism and animism, where they worship their gods and honor demons; where the most delicious dishes are prepared specifically for religious ceremonies – first of all, to appease evil and good spirits and demons, and secondly – as a treat for the entire Balinese village. If you ever find yourself in a big Hindu ceremony, you will be surprised how many different foods are prepared solely as an offering to the gods.
If you have ever been to Bali, you must have noticed how carefully the gods and spirits that inhabit this island are taken care of here. Several times a day, offerings are prepared for them – food beautifully decorated in neat wicker baskets. The Balinese approach the preparation of their traditional dishes with exactly the same thoroughness and thoroughness. It’s a secret to many that most of the dishes in Bali are so complex to prepare that they take ten to twenty hours to cook. But the result is really worth it – tender and appetizing meat or fish, imbued with the aroma of a large number of spices and herbs.
Balinese dishes that require a long preparation are prepared in advance, a day in advance or at least in the evening. But this, probably, is the whole of Bali: the mysterious island of the gods is in no hurry to reveal its secrets to everyone, all the best is only for those who really make an effort. But I can help you with this.
Babi guling – suckling pig baked on a spit
The most popular Balinese dish is babi guling. The pig is baked on a spit, and then they cut it up, separately remove the fried skin, cut the meat, make cracklings, and make black pudding from the insides. A popular place to eat baby gulling in Ubud is Ibu Oka Café in the city centre.
Sate lilit – seafood skewers on a lemongrass stick
Skewers of meat or seafood – sate (sate) – a fairly popular dish in Indonesia. Grilled sate lilit served with walnut sauce or chili sauce.
Bebek betutu is another very popular Balinese dish. It is a duck stewed in a special yellow Balinese sauce. The sauce has a very pleasant and unusual spicy taste. Due to the long preparation time, this dish must be ordered at a restaurant at least a day in advance; this can be done, for example, at the Sobat restaurant, which is located near Seminyak on Batu Belig Street.
Pepes ikan – fish baked in banana leaves
Pepes Ikan (Pepes Ikan) and its second version – Pepes Udang (Pepes Udang) – is a Balinese dish, fish, or in the second case, shrimp, baked with vegetables in spices in a banana leaf on the grill. You can try, for example, in the Totemo warung on Benesari Street in Kuta.
Balinese desserts
To be honest, desserts are not the strongest side of Balinese cuisine, but it would still be wrong to pass them by. They are worth a try, at least to form an opinion.
lacquer
Lak lac is similar to small pancakes made from rice flour, sprinkled with coconut flakes and drizzled with cane sugar syrup. Lacquers are usually white, but they come in different colors, sometimes even quite strange ones, such as green.
black rice pudding
To make a sweet pudding, black wild rice is soaked overnight in water, then some glutinous rice is added and the whole thing is simmered over low heat for about an hour. Vanilla and palm sugar are then added there and left until the pudding thickens. You can try black rice pudding in the Balinese restaurant Sobat, which I mentioned above.
Cafes and restaurants in Bali are some of the best in Southeast Asia. The chefs are both locals and expats, of which there are many. People from all over the world fly to the island, so completely diverse dishes are created here, both Balinese and other cuisines. Prices for any wallet and in general: not high. Natural elements are successfully used in the design of restaurants.
And the exterior of many places often, as an addition to the already excellent food, offers fantastic natural views: from the raging ocean against the rocks to the serenity of green rice fields. Everywhere you can find small private cafes, where, in addition to the main set of dishes, they serve Balinese coffee and freshly squeezed juices and necks. If you want to combine the beach and a cozy restaurant, there are numerous beach clubs in Bali at your service.
Food in Bali is presented not only in cafes, hotels, or restaurants. You will find warungs all over the island. This is a local type of small catering establishments where you choose from already prepared dishes. It looks like our canteens, but in miniature. Prices for prepared food in warungs are minimal, and the food is the freshest. Another similar option could be a mobile kitchen – Kaki Lima (top). This is a small cart on wheels with a built-in display case and pans. They can be found along the streets in Bali.
There is also always the option of eating fruits, vegetables, and sometimes cooking yourself (this is a good way to save money while traveling, especially if your accommodation has a kitchenette). There are good farmers’ markets selling natural products in every large village. The traditional food market in Bali is a real carnival of tropical fruits and vegetables. If you do not want to go to the markets, then supermarkets are at your service. They have all the necessary products, as well as some dishes (suddenly you need a plate or a fork with a knife).
