Take your tastebuds on a trip to Bali

I found out the other day that the woman who was my co-op boss for my nutrition degree has moved to Bali! She really seems to be living her best life out there too... and as envious as I am about many aspects of her adventure that she has posted on social media, I have to say that it is the food that I want the most.

Balinese cuisine is a cuisine tradition of Balinese people from the volcanic island of Bali. Using a variety of spices, blended with the fresh vegetables, meat and fish. Part of Indonesian cuisine, it demonstrates indigenous traditions, as well as influences from other Indonesian regional cuisine, Chinese and Indian. The island's inhabitants are predominantly Hindu and culinary traditions are somewhat distinct with the rest of Indonesia, with festivals and religious celebrations including many special foods prepared as the offerings for the deities, as well as other dishes consumed communally during the celebrations.

The Indonesian food in Bali is very different from the rest of the country. With a predominantly Hindu population, you can enjoy pork dishes in Bali that you wouldn’t normally find in other parts of Indonesia. The primary grain they use is rice, which is almost always consumed as a staple accompanied with vegetables, meat and seafood. Pork, chicken, fruit, vegetables and seafood are widely utilized, however as in most Hindu communities, beef is never or rarely consumed.

Naturally, learning about this beautiful culture was fascinating, but I wanted full immersian... so I decided to test out one of the recipes that is common to that area. Balinese pork (also known as babi guling, or spit-roasted suckling pig, is one of the most famous delicacies from Hindu Bali. Tender and delicious with perfect crackling, the pigs roasted in Bali often weigh 6kg to 8kg. The traditional method of making this dish is to rub the cavity with a mixture of spices and sometimes tapioca leaves, then rub the skin with turmeric juice before roasting.

This recipe is a great one, because it uses simple flavours that you probably already have in your kitchen. The end result is always juicy and delicious, and goes wonderfully with a Syrah or even a Port wine would be nice. Whatever you choose, stick with a medium-bodied wine with high acidity. And if you choose a red wine, the fat will help combat the tannins. I would serve this dish with a hearty scoop of wilted greens, like Swiss chard or bok choy.

Bon appetit!

Balinese Pork:

· 2 tbsp. neutral oil · 600g lean pork belly, cut 3cm x 1 cm · 2 cloves garlic, sliced · 1 large thumb ginger, peeled and julienned (very thin matchsticks) · 6 shallots, peeled and sliced · Up to a dozen whole bird’s eye chillies, whole (for the brave), or one medium red chilli, sliced (for the sane) · ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper · 4 tbsp. Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce) · 2 tbsp. Light Soy Sauce · 1 cup chicken stock

1) Add the oil to a wok and turn the heat up to high. When it is shimmering and hot, add the pork. Stir occasionally

2) Add the garlic, ginger, shallots, chillies and black pepper and stir for another minute to soften

3) Add both soy sauces, stirring to allow them to coat the pork

4) Add the stock and reduce to a simmer for about thirty minutes until the pork is tender and nearly all liquid is absorbed (you may need to add more stock or water if the liquid reduces too quickly)

5) Serve with plenty of steamed rice and green vegetables

(The inspiration for this recipe came from here)