Best dishes to try in Bali, Indonesia

Bali, Indonesia often referred to as the “Island of the Gods” or the “Island of 10,000 Temples,” is a highly sought-after tourist destination in Indonesia. The island is renowned for its rich cultural and spiritual heritage, and it is constantly bustling with various activities that contribute to its vibrant atmosphere. Bali’s cuisine is as diverse as its culture and is characterized by the use of an array of spices such as turmeric, cumin, and cloves. The people of Bali, Indonesia strongly believe in the medicinal properties of turmeric, and it is widely incorporated into their dishes. Additionally, Sambal, a crucial condiment, is served alongside almost every meal.

The Balinese have skillfully blended Indian and Chinese culinary influences to create a delectable fusion of dishes that are sure to satisfy your hunger. Despite their love for meat, the Balinese cuisine offers a variety of renowned dishes, including Ayam Betutu, Nasi Ayam, and Nasi Campur, among others. The food in Bali is not only diverse and delicious but also reasonably priced. Here are a few Balinese dishes that are particularly favored by the locals!

Here are some of the dish that you can try:

1. Nasi Aayam

Nasi Ayam is an essential component of Balinese cuisine and is highly recommended for food lovers. This dish features shredded chicken, satay, boiled egg, roasted peanuts, French bean salad, sambal, and a serving of steamed rice, offering a diverse range of flavors for your taste buds to explore. The fish satay is marinated alongside the chicken, grilled impeccably, and served on a stick, while the chicken is served in a shredded form. The addition of crunchy peanuts elevates the dish to a whole new level!

2. Ayam Betutu

The dish consists of a serving of steamed rice, along with chicken pieces generously coated in spicy chili sambal, satay, salad, and peanuts. In its traditional form, the chicken is braised and then smoked before being cut into chunks and served with chili sambal and Sambal Matah. Sambal Matah, a condiment made from shallots, chili, and lemongrass, is an essential addition to the dish, complementing the other sides and providing a fiery kick to your taste buds.

3. Lawar

This dish is the ultimate champion of all coconut-based delicacies and is commonly served as a starter. It predominantly comprises grated coconut, mixed with minced jackfruit, chicken skin bits, chili, and coconut milk. The combination of jackfruit and coconut milk brings out the fruity sweetness of the dish, while the addition of chicken skin adds a chewy texture. The ingredients are blended by hand and typically served on a banana leaf, following the traditional custom.

4. Babi Guling

Babu Guling is a highly regarded Balinese dish, cherished by food critics for its unique preparation method. The dish involves stuffing a whole pig with spices and sealing it, then grilling it over two stands until it turns a smoky red color. The skin is crispy, and the meat is shredded finely. The dish is served with satay, Lawar, pork skin, shredded pork meat, and rice, along with pork soup that contains chunks of pork meat, green onions, and cilantro, adding a hot and savory touch to the meal.

The pork satay is grilled to perfection and served on a skewer, while the soup can be poured over the main dish to enhance its flavors even further. This dish is a must-try and should not be missed!

5. Klepon

Sweets are an essential aspect of every culture, and the Balinese have an array of delectable options to choose from. One such sweet treat is boiled rice cakes filled with palm sugar and coated in grated coconut. These heavenly delights are incredibly sweet and irresistible. Typically sold in small plastic boxes, they are highly sought after in the Balinese market.

6. Fish Head Soup

Considered a delicacy, the fish head soup cooks the whole fish, eyes, teeth and all, which are boiled in a broth to which various spices are added. Traditionally, cucumber is added to it too. This serves to cool the soup while the broth imparts its flavour to the fish.

It is usually served with fried fish and a bowl of rice. The fish is fried to a golden brown and crispy on the outside while being tender on the inside. It is succulent at best and instantly melts in your mouth. This food of Bali is a must-have for all fish lovers!

7. Tipat Cantok

One of the few vegetarian Balinese dishes that anyone can find with ease on the island, it is made from peanut sauce, rice cakes steamed in palm leaves, cabbage and baby green sprouts, these are mixed thoroughly and drizzled with sweet soy sauce. It has a sweet and salty taste with neither one overpowering the other. The peanut sauce is made by crushing peanuts, garlic and chillies together on a stone mortar using a pesto. These old school methods are what makes this dish so delicious.

8. Es Dalumen

Need a way to beat the heat? This signature power drink or food of Bali is the one that you’re looking for! A dessert drink made of coconut milk and palm sugar with jelly, which is made from Dalumen leaves, which are great for hypertension and digestion.The jelly in the drink gives it a whole new experience to your taste buds.

9. Durian

Nicknamed the ‘king of fruits’, it is found predominantly in Indonesia and is consumed regularly. Its outer covering is greenish-yellow and has a spiky appearance in addition to the oval shape. Used in several milkshakes and dishes even though it has a pungent smell which is quite overpowering goes on to prove that it is the undisputed king of fruits. Most people prefer eating this raw.

10. Nasi Goreng

This is an all-time favourite food of Bali. Various spices are mixed to form a thick paste which is subsequently added to boiled rice and cooked on a slow flame. Loads of vegetables are added along with chicken meat or beef, which have been previously marinated and fried to perfection. To the very end, butter is added to this mountain of fried rice to make it all the more sumptuous and better.

11. Ares Soup

A part of the royal Balinese cuisine, this Balinese dish is one of the most wholesome soups anyone will ever come across! Salt is added to finely chopped banana stalk, and the mixture is pressed to make it devoid of its juices and get rid of the moisture. Turmeric and bay leaves among other spices are added along with chunks of chicken which are mixed thoroughly and put on a low flame. It is then boiled in a closed vessel where the spices and condiments work their wonders and result in a praiseworthy soup!

In need of a light snack? We’ve got you covered. A mixture of various items starting with bean sprouts, spinach, green banana slices, soybeans, peanuts, topped with coconut and peanut sauce along with sambal, this is one of the healthiest food of Bali you will come across. The vegetables are crisp; the banana is a wacky addition, and the peanuts add a crunch to every bite taken. The coconut sauce enhances the taste and takes it to a whole new level. Traditionally, this dish is served in a paper cone.

13. Sate Lilit

Sate is known for coming in all shapes and sizes. Beef and pork being prominent in Bali are usually served in Sate instead of chicken. However, Sate Lilit are made from pork and are smoked over charcoal to give them a charred taste. Served on sticks, these are dipped into peanut sauce and are topped with garlic flakes. The meat is tender and chewy and has a sweet taste to it. Another variation of this is the beef sate.

14. Be Lindung

This food of Bali is made from eels. Eels are either gathered fresh from local water bodies or bought from the market. The eel is cleaned out by hand, post which they are deep-fried until they are crispy. Roasted coconut gratings are mixed with these fried eels and are served smokin’ hot. It is usually had with rice and sambal.

15. Nasi Campur

Campur loosely translates to a mix of everything. This is another offshoot to Nasi Ayam which comprises of the same dish but has an add-on that comes along with it, i.e. chicken soup. Flavour is imparted to it by boiling chicken bones for the broth and adding various spices (primarily turmeric) to it. It serves as a great lunch and is good for a quick fill.

16. Kunyit Asam

Turmeric is a spice which has got several health benefits, and this ingredient plays a vital role in the food of Bali. It works as an antiseptic and comes in very handy for curing various diseases. Kunyit Asam is a turmeric-based drink which has two variants – one with lime and the other with tamarind. It tastes a bit sour, but then hey health comes at a price!

17. Jaje Bali

An assortment of 5 – 6 different sweets on the same plate ranging from Jaje Bendu to Jaje Pisang rai. They are either made from tapioca or sticky rice. Most of these sweets are covered with coconut gratings and palm sugar. These are not overwhelmingly sweet and serve to hit your sweet tooth right on the spot.

18. Ururtan Sausage

Pork intestines are used to make Ururtan sausages while the remainder of the pig serves as a base for various other dishes like Babi Guling, pork soup and other pork-related dishes. The intestines are first sun-dried, filled with a filling, marinated in sweet chilli sauce and subsequently deep fried. This local food of Bali is usually served with sambal Matah and roasted peanuts.

19. Kopi Tubruk

Balinese coffee is made in a way that sets it apart from the rest. Piping hot water is poured into a glass containing coffee beans and is left untouched for 5 – 6 minutes. The beans impart their flavour and remain settled at the bottom of the glass. You can then proceed to drink the coffee while avoiding the beans. In terms of taste, it is somewhat similar to Turkish coffee.

20. Rujak

This food of Bali is a fruit salad. Green mango, papaya and yam beans are diced and mixed with shrimp paste which makes it a bit salty. It is drizzled with chilli sauce and is finally dressed with palm sugar. Overall, the taste varies between two extreme ends ranging from sweet to chilly to salty.

21. Es Cendol

Another drink on the list! This one’s made from droplets of rice flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar. The rice flour jelly imparts a colourful look to the drink while the coconut milk serves to sweeten it a bit. Occasionally, cubes of ice or crushed ice may be added to cool down the drink.

Indeed, a refreshing drink that shouldn’t be missed out on!

22. Mujair Nyatnyat

Somewhere between a stew and a curry, this exquisite fish based food of Bali has a lot to offer. ‘Mujair’ being a type of fish, is entirely cooked inclusive of its head and tail. It is marinated with a ton of herbs and spices and is caked with them before cooking. It is cooked in an open vessel until its moderately done. Served with rice, spinach, peanuts and sambal Matah; the fish tastes nutty and has a hint of lemongrass.

23. Martabak

Need the perfect occasion to erupt in joy? Guess what?! This is it! Martabak is the Indonesian version of a pancake loaded with a ton of toppings like Toblerone, Nutella, peanuts, chocolate sprinkles, butter, cheese and condensed milk. The pancake is folded in half and cut through evenly such that the toppings remain in the middle, causing the flavours to explode and leaving you in a state of contentment, making you savour every bite of this dessert.

24. Bakso

Bakso translates to meatballs is a commonly eaten food of Bali. It can be served with egg noodles, flat noodles or vermicelli. Vegetables are tossed in to make it even better and eventually, a broth is added, thereby making it a fragrant mix of both noodles and soup.

For visual appeal, it can be served in a coconut and topped with loads of other sauces.

25. Ikan Bakar

This loosely translates to burned fish in English. A fish of your choice is selected and is marinated with turmeric, chilli and garlic sauces among loads of other seasonings. It is then smoked with charcoal to make the fish gain a charred taste. The meat is tender and delicious, causing it to melt in your mouth. It is usually served with sambal.

Also, if you intend to transform into a fire breathing human, help yourself with loads of red chilli sambal that is an ingredient that is used in almost every Balinese dish. It is the secret ingredient that makes the food of Bali the delicious cuisine that it currently is.

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