the food of bali

The attraction of the Indonesian island of Bali and its unique cuisine are brought to life with this unique collection of 75 lavishly illustrated recipes introducing Bali's most popular delicacies. Discover the secrets of this extraordinary cuisine with the most popular dishes introduced by Swiss-born Heinz von Holzen who arrived in Bali in 1990. Initially Heinz worked as Executive Chef at the Grand Hyatt and at the Ritz Carlton Bali, and he is now the proprietor of the famous Bumbu Bali Restaurant & Cooking School. Heinz wrote the book "The Food of Bali", and these web pages are a continuation of his book with new photos and more detailed information on traditional Balinese ingredients and cooking techniques. Welcome to the culinary secrets of the "Island of the Gods"!

Baliguide.com/Bali.com Ltd D&B D-U-N-S No. 66-389-8141 Reservation & Service Center Tel. +62-361 703-060 (12 lines) Fax +62-361 701-577 E-mail: info@baliguide.com

BASIC RECIPES

BASE

(Spice Pastes)

OVERVIEW:
Balinese food gets its characteristic flavor from a blend of spices,
herbs, roots and other savory ingredients, which are prepared in
different ways. The basic seasonings (known as base –
pronounced barseh –are sometimes finely chopped or sliced,
other times pounded to a fine paste. Some spice pastes are
made from raw ingredients, while for others, the ingredients
are either steamed or roasted before pounding.
These spice pastes can be prepared in advanced and stored in
a refrigerator for up to one week. They can also be divided into
smaller quantities and deep-frozen. If you are using a mortar
and pestle,grind the dry spices such as pepper and coriander first;
then add the hardestingredients, the roots such as laos and kencur.
When these are finely ground,add the shallots and chilies,
then finally soft ingredients such as shrimp paste.

If using a food processor, blend the dry spices first then add all
other ingredients, except the oil.

Spice pastes keep refrigerated for up to two weeks,
or spread finishedspice paste in ice cube tray and freeze.
Once frozen paste will keepeasy up to 6 months.

BASE GEDE

(Basic Spice Paste)

INGREDIENTS:
300 gr large red chili halved, seeded and chopped
100 gr garlic, peeled and chopped
75 gr ginger, peeled and chopped
500 gr shallot, peeled and chopped
75 gr laos, peeled and chopped
100 gr kencur root, peeled and chopped
175 gr fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped
2½ tbsp dried shrimp paste, roasted
2½ tbsp coriander seed crushed
75 gr candlenut
1¼ tbsp black pepper corn crushed
2½ pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
8 cloves
150 ml coconut oil
250 water
¾ tbsp salt

PREPARATION:
Combine all ingredients except water in food
processor andgrind coarsely. Place in heavy
sauce pan, add all remainingingredients and
cook overmedium heat for approximately
60 minutes or until all water is evaporated
and marinade changes to golden color.

Cool before using.

BASE BE SIAP (Spice Paste For Chicken) INGREDIENTS: 225 gr shallots, peeled 125 gr cloves garlic, peeled 50 gr kencur root, peeled and chopped 60 gr laos, peeled and chopped 100 gr candlenuts 125 gr fresh turmeric, peeled & chopped 50 gr bird's eye chilies, finely sliced 50 gr chopped palm sugar 150 ml coconut oil 2 stalks lemon grass, bruised 3 salam leaves 250 ml water ¾ tbsp salt PREPARATION: Grind all ingredients except lemon grass, salam leavesand water,coarsely in food processor. Place in heavy sauce pan,add all remainingingredients and cook over medium heat forapproximately 60 minutes oruntil water is evaporated and marinade changes to golden color. Cool before using. BASE BE SAMPI (Spice Paste For Beef) INGREDIENTS: 250 gr large red chili, seeded and peeled 40 gr bird's eye chili, finely sliced 50 gr garlic, peeled and chopped 200 gr shallot, peeled and chopped 50 gr ginger, peeled and chopped 150 gr laos, peeled and chopped 2½ tbsp black pepper corn crushed 2½ tbsp coriander seed crushed 100 gr candlenut 40 gr palm sugar, chopped 150 ml coconut oil 250 ml water 3 salam leaf ¾ tbsp salt PREPARATION: Combine all ingredients except salam leaf, water and salt, place in food processor and grind coarsely. Place ground ingredients in heavy sauce pan, add all remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for approximately 60 minutes or until all water is evaporated and marinade changes to golden color. Set aside and cool. GEDANG MEKUAH (Green Papaya Soup with Seafood) Back to Soups OVERVIEW: Unripe papayas are often used as a vegetable in Bali. If these are not available, you can use summer squash or Chinese winter melon. INGREDIENTS: 1 unripe papaya, weighing roughly 750 gr (1½ lb) 1 cup spice paste for seafood 1 liter chicken stock ¼ liter coconut milk 2 salam leaves 1 stalk lemon grass, bruised ¼ tsp powdered black pepper 100 gr shrimps, clams, and mussels 100 gr diced firm fish 1 tsp salt Fried shallots to garnish PREPARATION: 1. Heat stock, add seafood, marinade and bring to boil. Simmer 2 minutes 2. Add salam leaves, lemongrass and papaya, simmer gently until the papaya is 95% tender. Add coconut milk and seafood and continue to simmer (do not boil) until papaya and seafood is tender. 3. If the stock reduces too much, add more stock 4. Season to taste with pepper and salt and garnish with fried shallots. Note: If you wish to prepare a lighter version of this soup then leave coconut milk and seafood out. SATE LILIT (Minced Seafood Satay) OVERVIEW: This probably the most delicious satay you will ever encounter. The delicate flavors of the shrimp and fish are greatly improved if you can find spears of fresh lemongrass to use as skewers, and if you can cook them over a fire of coconut husks rather than charcoal. Nonetheless, even with wooden skewers and a standard charcoal grill, you will have people coming back more. INGREDIENTS: 600 gr skinned boneless snapper fillet 1 cup freshly grated coconut or 1½ cups moistened desiccated coconut ½ cup seafood spice paste 5 fragrant lime leaves, chopped 1 tsp black peppercorns, finely crushed 1 tsp salt 3-5 bird's eye chilies, very finely chopped 2 tbsp palm sugar Lemon grass or satay skewers PREPARATION: 1. Mince fish fillet very finely in a food processor or with a chopper. 2. Add all other ingredients & mix well. 3. Mould a heaped tablespoon full of this mixture around a wooden skewer or over trimmed stalks of lemon grass and grill over charcoal until golden brown. Note: This recipe won't work with frozen fish. NASI KUNING (Yellow Rice) OVERVIEW: Yellow, one of the four sacred colors makes this festive rice dish strikingly different from the normal, everyday steamed rice. The rice is cooked in lightly seasoned coconut milk and chicken stock for extra flavor, while the touch of oil in the coconut milk gives it a glistening appearance and keeps each grain separate. INGREDIENTS: 1½ cups long grain rice, washed and drained 2½ cups coconut milk ¾ cup chicken stock 1 salam leaf 1 pandan leaf 1 stalk lemon grass, bruised 2 tbsp turmeric water 2 cm laos cut in 4 lengthwise slices 1 tbsp salt PREPARATION: Combine all ingredients in rice cooker or heavy stockpot and simmer, covered until don. Helpful hints: if your are not using a rice cooker, cook the rice over high heat until the liquid comes to the bowl, then lower heat and cook gently so that the coconut milk does not catch and burn on the bottom of the pan. Remove the lemon grass and Laos before serving. GADO GADO (Vegetable Salad With Peanut Sauce) INGREDIENTS: 100 gr Long bean cut, blanched 1 cup Bean sprout, blanched 100 gr Spinach, blanched 1/4 ea Cabbage chopped and blanched 1 ea Carrot (medium), thinly sliced, blanched 4 sq Hard beancurd, deep fried, sliced 4 ea Hard boiled eggs, cut in wedges 2 tsp Shallot, sliced, fried 1/2 cup peanut sauce PREPARATION: Prepare the sauce by blending first four ingredients until coarse. Put in pan with all other ingredients except fried shallots and lime juice. Simmer over very low heat for I hour. Stirring to prevent sticking. Stir in lime juice and shallots just before use. Arrange all vegetables and on a dish and pour over the sauce. Garnish with bean curd and eggs, sprinkle with shallots and serve with deep-fried krupuk.