Travel Post #5 : 10 BALINESE DELIGHTS TO STIMULATE YOUR TASTE BUDS

Bali is an Indonesian island known for its pristine beaches , beautiful temples and street food. There are a host of Indonesian delicacies that one would come across while walking along any road in this beautiful island. The food they serve in these small eateries ( “Warungs”) looks tempting and is too difficult to resist. Since the Indonesian Rupaiah runs in lakhs don’t be surprised if you are asked to pay up two lakh rupees for a simple dish. On my recent trip to Bali I ended up gorging on authentic Balinese/Indonesian cuisine ; right from street vendors to fancy hotels. The best part is they customize their non-veg dishes to suit the vegetarian palate too.

Here are a few items that I devoured on the trip and absolutely loved.

1) Bakso

This is a traditional Indonesian delicacy and one of the most popular ones. You will find plenty of street vendors selling Bakso along the streets of Bali. It is an eclectic mix of  tangy,spicy soup, meat balls, wontons, tofu and noodles. The dish was quite spicy and suited my taste buds perfectly well.

                                                     

Where : The road that leads to Kuta Beach

Image Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/BAwy8D7mUc-/

2) Indonesian Style Prawn Curry with Rice

   Since Bali is an island and people have easy access to the sea , seafood is quite popular here. The seafood is fresh and cooked well along with the much needed spices. The texture of the rice all over Bali is somewhat sticky but yet different and easy to adapt to.

                                      

Where: The Kuta Lagoon Resort

Image Source: Personal

3) Coffee

   Amongst other things Bali is quite popular for a wide variety of coffee that it offers. The most popular and expensive one within this range is the Kopi Luwak. It refers to the coffee that includes part-digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the famed Asian Palm Civet. This particular type of coffee tasted quite strong, mind you.

  Along with aromatic coffee you will also get to taste few flavored teas which is quite a refreshing change from the usual milk tea we slurp at home.

                                   

Where : Coffee Plantation

Image Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/BAzje41mUYR/

4) Mei Goreng

   Got to eat this delicious crispy noodle dish, Mei Goreng, a flavorful and spicy fried noodle dish mixed with meat, vegetables and spices right opposite a scenic view of the volcano and Bali’s largest lakes. The view from the top was mesmerizing.

Where : Kintamani , Bali

Image Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/BAzmBe6GUdB/

5) Balinese Chocolates

When in Bali do not forget to taste the unique flavoured chocolates that they have to offer.

I got to taste bitter dark chocolate flavours such as orange and chili. The orange flavoured chocolate gave a nice zesty aroma and the chili flavoured chocolate lived up to its name and tasted pungent. These make nice gifts to bring back home.

Where: Bali

Image Source: Personal

 6) Rambutan

 A distant cousin of the Litchi probably, this is a very interesting looking fruit. It has tentacles all around and looks a little evil but once you peel off the skin it has soft interiors and tastes just like the Litchi. Be careful and always check for worms in the fruit.

                               

Where: Kintamani

Image Source: Personal

7) Nasi Goreng

This is the Indonesian version of the fried rice. It is a mix of well-cooked sticky rice , vegetables , egg and meat (chicken, prawns etc).

                               

Where: Mr.Prata , Kuta , Bali

Image Source: https://www.zomato.com/photos/pv-res-1703169-u_E2MTcwMDkxMjQ1

8) Bakmi Goreng and Bintang

Bakmi Goreng is an Indonesian delicacy made with boiled noodles and vegetables that comes with sides of fried egg, fried chicken,crispy shrimp crackers and chicken satay. The sambhal on the side adds the much needed spicy flavour. This dish is quite filling for a super hungry traveler.

Have this dish with the Indonesian beer,Bintang by your side.

                                       

Where: The Kuta Lagoon Resort

Image Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BA4s39PmUX_/

9) Chicken Satay

Well, this dish is quite popular as a street food and a main course at all the leading restaurants.

It is a dish full of seasoned , skewered and grilled chicken served with a sweet-tangy sauce. It is at times served with a portion of rice too.

Where: The Kuta Lagoon Resort

Image Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BA2GDt-mUel/

 10)  Balinese Tender Coconut

Sometimes during the day the heat gets really harsh and you will feel super dehydrated. Those are the times that you crave for water and it’s other liquid counterparts. Being Indian and coming from a land that is known for tender coconuts there will come a time when you will feel the urge of drinking this sweet drink. Trust your instincts and get yourself one of the humongous Balinese coconuts. It will keep you going for about three hours atleast. The tender coconut water is extremely sweet and refreshing. It does perfect justice to being an ideal thirst quencher.

                                          

Where: The Ocean, Tanah Lot

Image Source: https://www.zomato.com/photos/pv-journey-A:38:91837:2016.01.22:1701668-u_MxNjgxNzY4NjEy