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When in Bali one must try the Delicious Balinese and Indonesian Cuisine
Bali is for foodies. that is for certain. Bali is an island with very diverse culinary delights, influenced by many immigrants from other areas in Indonesia and also different countries from around the world. Creative fusion recipes born every second from many culinary experts and food enthusiasts.
However, the original dishes cooked with authentic recipes that have been kept for generations never failed to win our hearts.
Traditional Balinese cooking is deeply influenced by the island’s Hindu culture and uses a unique mix of spices and ingredients. (Cultural Influence)
The balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy is key in Balinese cuisine, with techniques like slow cooking, banana-leaf steaming, and frying used to draw out flavors while maintaining a dish’s nutrient profile.
Most common Ingredients & Spices
- garlic
- chili
- shallots
- pepper
- clove
- nutmeg
- candlenut
- turmeric
- galangal
- coriander
- star anise
- ginger
- cumin
- kaffir lime
- lemongrass
Nasi – Rice in Indonesian Cuisine
Rice is the basic food for ingredient for Indonesian dishes, including Bali. Beras is rice in its raw form and Nasi when it’s cooked. There are several different type of rice that are used for cooking. Mainly white rice, (NASI PUTIH) or red/brown rice (NASI MERAH), yellow rice with tumeric powder (NASI KUNING). Rice steamed in coconut milk is called “Nasi Uduk” . Rice dishes are usually served with fish, chicken, pork or beef and a portion of vegetables.
Spicy Food
Indonesian food is generally not as spicy as maybe Thai-Food, but depending on the Chili being used (Sambal) you might want to start off easy. If you are not so accustomed to spicy food, don’t forget to say “tidak pedas” means not spicy.
Basics
Nasi – Rice | Ayam = Chicken | Sapi = Beef | Ikan = Fish | Babi = Pork | Bebek = Duck | Sayur = Vegetable | Telur = Egg | Goreng = Fried | Pedas = hot / spicy | bungkus = packed, to-go | panas = hot | dinging = cold
Here is a selection of the most recommended dishes you must try during your holiday in Bali
Sambal – Indonesian Chili Sauce
List of Basic Recipes, Sambals & Spice Pastes in Balinese Traditional Cuisine
Sambal is a spicy condiment made of chili as the main ingredient along with other seasonings like shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. Every island in Indonesia has its specific sambal, in Bali we have for example sambal matah and sambal be. Sambal matah is probably one of the most favourite sambal all over the country, made of chillies, shallots, garlic, terasi (shrimp paste), lemongrasses, kaffir lime leaves, and other ingredients (recipe). Not like another sambal, matah doesn’t require all the ingredients to be mashed in the mortar; all ingredients only need to be finely sliced then mixed all together with a drench of hot vegetable oil and lime juice.
Babi guling is one of the most iconic Bali classic dishes. It’s a roasted pork dish, commonly served with rice, pork satay, crackling pork skin, shredded vegetables that have been well seasoned with many spices.
In the past, this dish only served during special occasion like weddings, funerals, baby’s third-month blessing and also tooth filing ceremony. But today we can see many warung and restaurants scattered throughout the island specialise in selling this roast suckling pig. You don’t have to wait for a special event to enjoy this culinary delight.
Betutu is a richly spiced Balinese poultry dish. It is often called according to its main ingredients; Ayam betutu is chicken betutu, while Bebek betutu is the duck version. This traditional dish can be found on the menu of luxury hotels or restaurants to street food stalls in many roads of Bali.
The term betutu is the Balinese word for a specific spice mixture (bumbu) which consist of shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, wild ginger, galangal, candlenuts, chilli peppers, shrimp paste, and peanuts all finely ground using mortar and pestle. The betutu spice paste is sauteed with coconut oil to release its aroma and applied to poultry, chicken or duck. Typical side dishes may include plecing kangkung, crispy-fried peanuts and sambal terasi.
Satay is a favourite dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, poultry or fish, served with a sauce. This type of meal is very easy to be found in many south-east Asia countries. Commonly it is served with peanut sauce, sweet soy sauce or spicy sauce. In Bali, there’s a unique satay made of minced fish, pork, chicken or beef which wrapped around in a flat bamboo sticks or lemongrass stalks. This satay is called “Sate Lilit”, considered as one of the most favourites satay in the island.
The authentic Balinese sate lilit is very rich in “bumbu” or seasonings, a mixture of spices and herbs. It is ranging from lime leaves to coconut milk, garlic, shallots, blue galangal, coriander, lesser galangal, turmeric and chilli pepper.
Handpicked Selection of Authentic Balinese & Indonesian Meat Dishes (with Recipes)
Meat Dishes Recipes
Be Sampi Mesitsit (Dry Spiced Beef)
Meat Dishes Recipes
Tum Bebek – Minced Duck In Banana Leaf
Meat Dishes Recipes
Babi Guling – Guling Celeng (Suckling Pig)
Meat Dishes Recipes
Siap Mepanggang – Traditional Balinese Grilled Chicken
Handpicked Selection of Authentic Balinese & Indonesian Seafood Dishes (with Recipes)
Seafood Recipes
Be Pasih Mepanggang – Balinese Marinated Grilled Fish
Seafood Recipes
Pesan Be Pasih – Balinese Grilled Fish in Banana Leaf
Seafood Recipes
Sambal Be Tongkol (Tuna Fish Salad)
Seafood Recipes
Tambusan Be Pasih – Diced Fish Roasted in Banana Leaf
Handpicked Selection of Authentic Balinese & Indonesian Satay (Sate) Dishes (with Recipes)
Sate - Satay Recipes
Sate Lilit Bebek – Minced Duck Satay
Sate - Satay Recipes
Sate Sampi & Sate Udang (Beef Satay & Shrimp Satay
Sate - Satay Recipes
Sate Lilit – Minced Seafood Satay
Handpicked Selection of Authentic Balinese & Indonesian Sambals & Spice Bases (with Recipes)
Basic Recipes Sambals and Bases
Sambal Tomat – Bali Traditional Tomato Paste (Spicy)
Basic Recipes Sambals and Bases
Saur – Fried Shredded Coconut
Basic Recipes Sambals and Bases
Kuah Siap – Chicken Stock
Basic Recipes Sambals and Bases
Base Be Siap – Bali Traditional Spice Paste Base for Chicken
Sacred Ceremonial Cuisine in Bali – Food of the Gods
Bali boasts fertile rice terraces, nutrient-rich volcanic soil, abundant fruit trees, wild edible greens and vegetables, and a natural wealth of fragrant herbs and spices, and of course fresh fish. This rich environment has shaped a cuisine that is exotic, aromatic, flavorful, and texturally diverse. Balinese food transcends mere sustenance, playing a crucial role in religion, rituals, and social customs. Cooking is both an act of nourishment and a spiritual practice aimed at honoring and pleasing the gods.
To understand Balinese cuisine, it is essential to recognize its threefold purpose: providing vital nourishment, serving as offerings to honor the gods and appease demons, and being a key element in Bali-Hindu religious ceremonies. Food in Bali is deeply intertwined with faith. Within the walls of family compounds and neighborhood meeting halls (bale banjar), communities gather to prepare ceremonial dishes such as colored rice, sweet rice cakes, meat-stuffed banana leaf parcels, and skewered chicken satay. These offerings are not merely decorative but are believed to be absorbed by the gods during sacred festivals.
In the Bali-Hindu tradition, preparing ceremonial food and offerings is an act of devotion. This practice is thought to generate positive karma, with large ceremonies like mass cremations historically taking a month to prepare, resulting in significant spiritual merit.
Balinese cuisine is distinguished among global culinary traditions for its dedication to the gods and its labor-intensive, manual preparation methods. Rituals and ceremonies often culminate in grand feasts featuring visually stunning and flavorful dishes reserved for major celebrations due to their high cost and preparation time. These elaborate ritual foods are crafted for various ceremonies, including life cycle events (such as ground-touching ceremonies, weddings, tooth filings, and cremations), temple anniversaries, and significant religious holidays like Galungan-Kuningan.
Community involvement is essential, with materials and labor contributed collectively and dishes prepared in the temple kitchen. Some foods are intended as religious offerings, while others are shared communally among those who helped with the preparations. Special mini-rijsttafel platters with small portions of various foods, topped with decorative woven bamboo covers (tutup), are prepared for VIPs, including Balinese royalty. Meals for other castes are presented on round platters, featuring delicacies such as nasi kuning (yellow rice with turmeric, peanuts, and spiced grated coconut) and vegetarian lawar (a mix of ferns, egg, green beans, coconut, and spices).
This rich culinary tradition underscores the profound connection between Balinese food, culture, and spirituality, offering a unique perspective on the island’s heritage.
