5 Local Foods You Must Try When Visiting Bali – When you visit Bali, make sure to try their famous local foods. Besides the richness of the spices, the range of the local food in Bali is worth every penny of your money.
From chicken to pork, the Bali local foods are prepared and assembled to please your appetite!
Ayam or Bebek Betutu
Betutu is actually the slow-cooked whole chicken or duck stuffed with traditional spices, wrapped in banana leaves, and then enveloped tight in the bark of a banana trunk. This iconic Balinese dish is baked or buried in a coal fire for 6 to 7 hours. The rich and juicy meat easily separates from the bones due to the long cook. Legend said that betutu was once the king’s favourite meal.
Babi Guling
Babi guling or spit-roast pig stuffed with rich traditional spices and vegetable mixes such as cassava leaves slowly rolled over on a coal fire. The word “guling” actually means “to roll” in Indonesian. This dish is popular with crisp brown skin and tender and juicy meat. At first babi guling serve in the certain ceremony but now you can find this dish in some restaurants.
Lawar
Lawar is made by mixing chopped meat with various green vegetables and grated coconut. As for the meat, the choices are beef, chicken, duck, pork or a combination of those. There are two types of lawar: red and white. The Red one is prepared by mixing fresh animal blood with meat and spices to strengthen the flavour. White lawar, on the other hand, doesn’t contain blood and often substitutes meat with jackfruit. This version appeals more to vegans and vegetarians.
Tum
Tum consists of minced chicken or beef, put together with mashed spices and herbs such as garlic, shallots, chili, bay leaves, gingers, lemongrass, and some other spices. It’s usually arranged in a banana leaf, and wrap it in a thin shape before steaming, making it convenient to eat as a main course or snack on the go.
Sate Lilit
A common sate or satay in south-east Asian countries usually comes with the same concept: skewered meat. But sate lilit is unique because it is made with minced meat wrapped (lilit) around a bamboo or lemongrass stick. This dish is typically made from tuna, but if you don’t really like fish, some restaurants offer chicken meat as well. The other thing that makes this sate different is it doesn’t have a staple sauce instead it has all its flavour mixed into it during the mincing process.
Hope this article will help your culinary journey in Bali during your vacation or business purpose trip. Make sure to check at least one of the dishes listed because the flavour is unique and gives you an unforgettable moment! For more info about Jakarta and Bali related, check the other articles!
