Traditional balinese cuisine

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.

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.

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 ros, 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.

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.