Real traditional Bali food

Are you ready to try it for yourself?

 

Bali food has lots of influences from the other islands in the Indonesian archipelago. It’s hard to point out Balinese specialities but there is a couple worth mentioning that are specific for the island alone.

Real traditional Bali food – Babi Guling

Since Indonesia is mostly a Muslim country you will have a hard time to find any pork dishes on Sumatra and Java island, unless you go to a Chinese restaurant of course…...

But on Hindu Bali that’s no problem. The Balinese have a special dish called “Babi guling” which is spit-roasted suckling pig stuffed with spices such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, laos (peppery, ginger-like spice), chillies, lemon grass, black peppercorns, lime leaves and salam leaves.

 

Babi Guling, ready to be served...

 

Babi Guling is eaten with steamed rice and young jack fruit cooked in coconut milk (jukut nangka mekuah). You can find it in many restaurants or food stalls around Bali. The most popular place on the island is at Ibu Oka in Ubud village.

Bebek betutu

Another speciality is 'Bebek betutu', which is roasted duck in banana leaves and includes almost all of the same spices as used in the 'Babi guling' except for laos and salam leaves.

 

Ducks are also found in the ricefields and used as
natural fertilizers and for pest control

 

This dish is only eaten on special occasions but you can try it in several Bali restaurants as long as you give them 24 hours notice of your order because it takes a couple of hours to prepare.

Satay Lilit

Indonesia is the home of the satay and every region has his own way of preparing the satay with beef, lamb, chicken, turtle (unfortunately), rabbit, or fish.

In Bali you’ll find the delicious 'Satay Lilit'. It's usually made of snapper fillet, raw prawns, coconut, spice paste for seafood, lime leaves, black peppercorns, brown sugar and lemon grass.

Satay Lilit a la Warung Pregina style, Sanur

Some restaurants also offer their own satay lilit version such as replacing the fish with duck but still using the same basic ingredients.

Satay Lilit is really tasty and it is nice when they serve it grilled on a lemon grass stick instead of the common wooden satay stick. I bet everybody who tries this Bali dish will love it!

Last traditional Bali food- Lawar

Another dish worth mentioning is the typical Balinese 'Lawar'. There are several Lawar dishes and they are differentiated by the type of meat used such as pork, chicken, sea food, beef, turtle ( hard to get nowadays due to conservation efforts) and even dragon flies for the most expensive Lawar.

This Balinese dish is served during religious ceremonies and other Bali events. It’s made of pig’s blood, coconut, garlic, shallots, chillies, ginger, turmeric, laos, kencur, shrimp paste, fruits, vegetables, meat and mixed into a salad.

 

Preparing Lawar is a men's job and prepared together

 

You won’t find it on the menu since it involves lots of people, it takes hours to make and after it’s ready it has to be eaten directly or it will lose its taste.

The preparation of this Bali food is mainly a men’s job and serves as a social gathering where various men sit in a circle, chit-chat and chop till they drop.

Only the oldest and most experienced of the men are allowed to mix all the ingredients together into Lawar.