If you’re coming to Bali on holiday, you’ll want to make the most of your time to try the local food.
Nowhere else on Earth can they make such amazing dishes from sweet soy sauce, coconut milk, palm sugar, peanut sauce, bean sprouts, rice noodles, lemongrass sticks, green beans, coconut oil, chili sauce, lime juice, fried shallots, beef, spit roast pig, and fresh fish.
But, of course, it can be a bit overwhelming when you first encounter a new cuisine, and how do you spot the Balinese dishes from the Indonesian dishes? Don’t worry, our guide to Balinese food will help you to spot the sate lilit from the fried tofu at any of the food stalls or warungs on the island.
About Balinese Food
Balinese food is the traditional cuisine of the Balinese people on the island of Bali in the Indonesian archipelago.
While it has some similarities to other Indonesian cuisines, it also has its own unique identity, particularly in the way that it draws on Indian and Chinese influences.
Given that the Balinese are a majority Hindu people, one major difference between the local food and that in the rest of Indonesia (which is majority Muslim) is the popularity of pork on the menu.
The most commonly consumed foods on the island are rice dishes and also noodle dishes made with noodles formed from rice flour. You’ll find that many Balinese dishes use pork, chicken, goat, sheep, vegetables, seafood and fruit.
However, in keeping with most Hindu populations, beef is not a popular ingredient for local Balinese dishes, though it is certainly widely available in Bali to the island’s visitors and Muslim and Christian populations.
Ingredients In Balinese Dishes
You’l find the steamed rice is served with almost every example of Balinese cuisine, and it’s almost always white rice.
There are a lot of flavourings used in traditional Balinese dishes and things like galangal, shallots, ginger, garlic, turmeric and Kaffir lime are incredibly popular.
If you encounter the famous Bali 8-spice mix, then that is made from white and black pepper, coriander, cumin, clove, sesame, nutmeg and candlenut.
You will also find a mix of sugar, fish paste (or shrimp paste) and basa gede (a Balinese spice paste), which is regularly used in cooking here.
Finally, you’re going to see a lot of fruit, including mango, mangosteen, banana, rambutan, passion fruit, jackfruit, pineapple, snake fruit, duku (a form of langskat), longan, papaya, orange, coconut, durian and custard-apples.
You may also find “exotic” but illegal items on the menu in more obscure locations in Bali, including turtle meat, which is a traditional delicacy.
10 Amazing Examples Of Balinese Cuisine That You’re Going To Love
Nasi Goreng Or Mie Goreng Or Nasi Campur or Nasi Bali
This is the trio of the most famous rice dishes in Balinese cuisine. And their popularity carries way beyond Bali in the modern age.
Nasi Goreng – literally translates as “fried rice” and contains a mixture of herbs and spices including shrimp paste and chili. It’s usually served with a fried egg or some chicken plus vegetables.
Mie Goreng – translates as “fried noodles” and is essentially nasi goreng with noodles made from rice flour rather than white rice.
Nasi Campur/Nasi Bali – this is one of the most popular traditional Balinese dishes, and it’s made from rice and various side servings. These dishes vary from place to place but might include meat, vegetables, tempeh, fish, etc. The name Nasi Campur means “mixed rice”.
Lawar
This often accompanies the roast suckling pig (babi guling) that is the best-known traditional dish on the island. It’s a mix of minced meat, grated coconut, herbs, spices and vegetables.
You’ll find that every warung has its own lawar recipe, and you’ll never find it served the same way twice.
Babi Guling
Roast suckling pig is very much in the vein of the “lechon” found in the Philippines.
They say that the piglet used in this dish shouldn’t be weaned to be truly authentic, but given the size of the piglets in most warungs, it’s fair to say that modern Balinese quite often skip that bit.
Essentially, you take the pig, coat it in turmeric and then stuff it with basa gede and a mix of spices.
It is usually served sliced, alongside some babi sate (pork satay) and with the intestines, with some rice and vegetables.
Bebek Betutu (or Ayam Betutu)
This is a dish that’s super popular on Hindu festival days, and it’s roast duck (bebek) or chicken (ayam).
It’s generally very slow-cooked to help the marinade (of tamarind paste and salt) to permeate through the flesh of the bird, and it gives the dish a very distinct aroma.
Once it’s been cooked, they clean the bird, stuff it with eggs, cassava leaves and spices and cook it again!
It’s one of the most flavourful dishes you can encounter on the island and one of our favourites.
Sate
Sate is a very famous Southeast Asian dish, and it’s the best use of peanut sauce that we can think of.
However, Bali has its own twist on this Sate Lilit, and it’s a minced meat (pork or fish, but sometimes chicken and very rarely beef) and then placed on lemongrass skewers.
It’s covered in coconut milk, lemon juice, shallots and pepper to give it a unique flavour too.
Soto Babi
Soto is Indonesia’s number one dish, and it’s often considered to be the main dish of the archipelago.
But while the rest of the nation uses beef broth or chicken broth as the base for this dish, the Balinese prefer theirs with pork.
Gado Gado
If you’re more of the vegetarian persuasion, then you’re going to love this plant-based Balinese dish.
Gado Gado is a salad made of steamed vegetables, tempeh (a local product made from fermented and then boiled soy beans), tofu and boiled eggs. It’s then served with a side of peanut sauce.
It’s not the prettiest dish in Bali, but it tastes amazing.
Bakso (Balinese Meatballs)
OK, Bakso aren’t traditional Balinese food, they’re an invention from elsewhere in the archipelago, but the Balinese adore them and they feature so heavily in cuisine here, it would be rude not to mention them.
They’re pre-cooked meatballs (either using meat or fish) and they’re held in the kitchen so that they can be quickly thrown in boiling water to bring them up to temperature (and kill off any potential germs) and then eaten.
Bakso are normally served on a bed of yellow noodles, with veggies, boiled eggs, and tofu and are not usually served on banana leaves, unlike some other Balinese dishes.
Bubur Injin
This is Bali’s most famous dessert, and it’s a sort of rice porridge that is made from a mix of white and black glutinous rice and then sweetened with palm sugar and coconut milk. Then, a little pandan leaf is added to give it a distinct flavour.
It should be served hot with a healthy dollop of coconut cream and a slice of banana to get the best out of the taste.
Martabak
Martabak is a pancake. It can be eaten as a dessert – that is, martabka manis (a pancake stuffed with banana and/or chocolate that’s then deep fried in butter).
But it can also be eaten as a snack or meal in the form of martabak telur, which is a pancake stuffed with egg, onion, meat (such as minced pork or chicken and even, occasionally, minced beef), spices and herbs.
They’re normally sold side-by-side at street vendor stalls. We like the savoury one with spicy sauce.
FAQs
What Is Traditional Balinese Food?
Babi Guling, Sate Lilit, Nasi Campur, Pepes Ikan, Spicy Sambal, there are many traditional Balinese dishes.
The best Balinese food distinguishes itself from Indonesian food, and the traditional food here has an interesting blend of traditional spices and herbs.
You’ll also find kecap manis, sweet soy sauce, which plays a very important part in many of the dishes you can try in Bali.
What Is Bali’s Most Famous Dish?
Bali’s most famous dish is probably babi guling. This form of roast suckling pig is definitely tasty. However, we’re always a bit disappointed with the tiny portions of pig to the huge stack of rice and vegetables that they tend to serve it with.
We’d be happy to pay more for a few more slices of this delicious pork.
What Is The National Dish Of Bali?
Bali isn’t a nation. It’s part of Indonesia. The Indonesian national dish is probably Soto, which is a soup that’s usually made from beef or chicken.
They serve Bali Soto here, and it’s usually made from pori rather than the other two meats to help it stand out.
What Do Locals Eat In Bali?
Balinese people tend to eat Balinese cuisine. The most famous Balinese dishes are listed above, but they include Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng, Nasi Campur, Babi Guling, Sate Lilit, Gado Gado and much more.
What Is Bali’s Signature Dish?
We’d say Nasi Campur, which is also often called Nasi Bali, is the signature dish of the island. This mixed rice dish is very popular with visitors, and every place you visit will have its own unique version for you to try.
Final Thoughts On Traditional Balinese Dishes
Balinese food is amazing, and it’s one of the best reasons to put Bali high up on your bucket list. There’s much more to the cuisines than just grated coconut and dishes served on banana leaves.
The best Balinese food is a real treat for your taste buds, it’s full of herbs and spices that give it a distinct and unique flavour. Ingredients like fried tempeh and wild ginger help it stand out from the crowd.
And as long as you eat meat, dishes like Ayam Betutu and Babi Guling are sure to be big favourites. Otherwise, you may find that Gado Gado is your perfect Balinese dish.
Related blogs:
Balinese Culture And Traditions: What Makes The Island And The Balinese People So Unique?
