28
Jan/Feb 2015
a kilogram of rice per day, so a family compound
of 20 people will go through 10kg of rice in a single
day (3.65 tonnes per year).
“Embark on a culinary adventure unlocking the secrets of
authentic Balinese cooking, utilising traditional ingredients and
preparation methods, in a fully equipped community village
kitchen.” Paon Bali Cooking, www.paon-bali.com
5
6
7
5. Staple diet: The basic
building blocks of a
brilliant diet
6. Added flavour: Who
knew there were so many
types of ginger
7. Veg out: Fresh
vegetables ready to
prepare for the sup jamur
Wayan took us back to the traditional home where
he and his wife Puspa live with their two teenage
children. We relax with a refreshing drink made from
lime and ginger as Wayan and Puspa entertain
us with tales of Balinese family living, including
the ‘meeting room’ in the east of each family
compound that is dedicated to discussing and
resolving problems.
Then it was time to put on our aprons and hit the
kitchen, where Puspa introduced us to the fresh
organic ingredients that were laid out waiting for us,
including a rainbow array of vegetables as well as
fresh turmeric and galangal, chillies and peanuts.
As she talked us through each recipe she checked
whether anyone had special dietary requirements
and discovered that our group contained three
vegetarians as well as an egg and a lemon allergy.
She took it all in with a smile as big as her personality,
assuring them that she would adapt some of the
dishes to suit their needs. Then it was down to
business as we washed our hands for the first of
many times (we were pleased to see they’re serious
about food hygiene at Paon) and got to our stations
to start preparing the ingredients for the day. Puspa
allocated some of the men to the ‘Balinese blender’,
a large mortar and pestle like we’d seen at the
market, to start grinding the peanuts and spices into
a paste for the peanut sauce.
Because we were all slicing, dicing and frying
together at long communal workbenches that later
transformed into cooktops, it was easy to befriend
others in the group. We had people from the
Netherlands, Australia, South Africa, USA, France,
Singapore and the UK all working together like a
gastronomic United Nations. Some were flying solo,
some came in pairs and there was also a family
group with three kids starting from eight years old.
One thing we quickly realised is that it’s all about
the yellow sauce. Bumbu kuning, or basic yellow
sauce, isn’t a dish in itself but we used it as a key
ingredient in four of the recipes. It’s fun to make
because you get to use a lu and lesung to grind the
ingredients into a paste. A lu is a long hand-held
wooden pole used to grind the spices in the lesung,
a large stone bowl that’s placed on the ground.
Sadly it’s not something we have at home, but a
food processor will do the job just as well.
www.essential-bali.com
Do
the dishes
Who said too many cooks spoil
the broth? Our international
team of 22 students laid out a
sumptuous spread (with a little
help from our Paon Bali friends).
Sup Jamur
Clear mushroom & vegetable soup
Bumbu Kuning
Basic yellow sauce
Kare Ayam
Chicken in coconut curry
Sate Lilit Ayam
Minced chicken grilled on
bamboo sticks
Gado Gad