Balinese Cooking Class

You start by blending the satay mixture - minced fish or chicken with grated coconut, kaffir lime leaves, and aromatic spices. Then you hand-wrap each skewer around lemongrass stalks and grill them over charcoal. This is a dish you'll be proud to serve at home.

Bali's ceremonial mixed salad. You'll blanch long beans, mix in freshly grated coconut, and prepare the complex spice base known as base genep - a blend of galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallots, and candlenuts. Lawar is rarely found in restaurants, making it a true home cook's treasure.

Bali's iconic raw sambal. Slice red shallots paper-thin, bruise lemongrass, and combine with bird's eye chilli and kaffir lime leaves. The secret is finishing with warm coconut oil to release all the aromatics. This condiment transforms any dish.

The Balinese version of Indonesia's national dish. Day-old rice is essential for the right texture. You'll work over high heat to develop the smoky wok flavor (the "wok hei"), incorporating kecap manis, shrimp paste, and a perfectly fried egg on top.

The foundation of everything in Balinese cooking. Using a traditional stone mortar and pestle (or the modern version), you'll grind fresh turmeric, galangal, ginger, shallots, garlic, and candlenuts into the aromatic paste that flavors most Balinese dishes.

Depending on the season and what's fresh at market, you'll make klepon (pandan rice balls with palm sugar filling), laklak (small Balinese pancakes with coconut and palm sugar), or pisang goreng (crispy banana fritters).