traditional food

[irna]

I went to a friend's wedding today which served balinese traditional food, its name was nasi begana I guess..complete with its complimentary and some other kinds of bali trad.food
It's not the 1st time eating balinese food for me, but still I can't start to enjoy & like it...even it's delicious & I'm an indonesian that often eat spicy food.
The taste of ginger and other spices are too strong and the composition is really really...bali, i dont know...i cant explain...
People from asian countries might still be able to accept the taste, but what about people from europe and other countries?
I dont think they enjoy eating balinese traditional food...( is it? )

[Dyah]

hi irna,
about spicy or not spicy ... i think today more people are open for the other taste... ok in the european traditional cuisine can´t you find or jut a little bit asian spices (ginger, cinammon ..)... but now exist modern cuisine with a different taste ... more people are open for the other taste... thank their visit to the other country., and i see that more people learn to enjoying their experience with traditional food.
And today you can find in europe very much restaurant with delicious dishes from other country... of course we can compar balinese food in one Indonesian resto here with a food in Bali.
Comparing to asian people ... i see very much people, equall whre they are ... they eat their rice, their noodle ...their dishes ... or visit Mc donald, Kentucy fried chicken ...
My husband (german) for example can eat more spicy than i. You can ask Bli Gede in this forum how much sambal can he eat ... i think very spicy!

Babi guling is delicious. I don't know that it's an "everyday" dish. The last time I had it in Ubud, I think it was at Ibu Oka's, it was more like babi kakek :(.

Lawar is a great traditional dish, very spicy. I had it quite a few times and I love it. I didn't find it especially hot. Central Javanese food - now that's HOT!. :twisted:

Irna,
although you are the first Indonesian I've heard say that, apart from my wife, I definately have to agree with you!There seems to be a certain ingredient in what we are told is "Bumbu Bali" that is totally revolting - utterly gross, in fact, yet I have never been able to get a Balinese to tell me what it is so that I can perhaps try a Balinese dish without it!
I really don't think many people from European countries, tourists that is, get to try Balinese food as most of the restaurants offering them "real Balinese food" are in fact serving them Javanese or Sumatran dishes and the first-time visitor naturally knows no different but does enjoy the food and goes home thinking he enjoyed Balinese cuisine!
Most Europeans these days are quite used to spicy food, far spicier than most Indonesian food - Dyah's husband is not unusual in that respect - but I'm sure the majority would be the same as you and certainly NOT enjoy "real Balinese food".
Sorry folks, Bali has many brilliant traditional and cultural attractions, but it's cuisine is certainly NOT one of them in my humble opinion!

Colin.

[ColinF]

Sorry.........that last post was, of course, mine. Forgot to log on before I posted!!
Colin.

[BLI GEDE]

One of the dominant flavors of "Bumbu Lengkap", and the one that I can't find in Canada is Tabia Ben (piper longum).http://www.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/Pipe_lon.html.

As well, the sharpness of lengkuas makes the impression of Balinese food a long lasting one. I have heard Javanese friends say that balinese food is too strong for them, and conversely I've heard Balinese friends say that E. Javanese food is too bland. Except for people I know from Padang, all my Indonesian friends are unanimous in their dislike of my Indian Curries. Both the smell and taste are too strange they've said.

I really like Balinese home cooking especially nasi selo (rice steamed with chopped up bits of sweet potatoe) and a nice coarse, hot sambal. My friends mom makes it with whole cloves of garlic, barely crushed with the skin still on! great stuff! The only thing that I Can't stomach is Lawar. Raw pig's blood is too far over the edge for me. Actually I used to eat it until I had some that had bits of rough bone in it. Man I'll eat anything, but bloody shards of bone... :roll: :shock:

Matur Suksema, Bli Gede

Another great dish is Ayam Betutu Gilimanuk. I could it that every day. I don't care if it does blow my head off.

There's a good Ayam Betutu Gilimanuk restaurant in JL Merdeka, Renon, Denpasar. Ina and I have been regulars there. We took her parents from Jawa Tengah there too. There's a lot of interesting restaurants in that area. Sangat murah dan enak!

Don't know if I can face lawar again :(

[BLI GEDE]

Sorry Allan,
Just think mashed potatoes and gravy, mashed potatoes and gravy... it works quite well until you find a boney bit :lol: Bli Gede

Hehe... Reminds me of the old Neil Young song, "Got mashed potato aint got no t-bone".

Check out the chilli in the Ayam Betutu below...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/m ... -panci.jpg

Click the above link to see the picture

what a tasteless picture :D