I have just got back from a beautiful trip to Bali with my two of my girlfriends, we had a fab time with many wonderful foods and drinks. Highlights were definitely 3 nights on Nusa Lembongan, which is a less inhabited island about 25 minutes ferry ride away - great sunsets, snorkelling and relaxation time. Another highlight was the Village Burger at Bali Ayu Hotel - the idea of banana, pineapple and avocado in your beef burger may sound weird but trust me its life changing. Also many other authentic Balinese dishes in between cocktails and pool time made for an amazing adventure. Take me back to Bali any day!
Here are a couple of recipes that I love that take me back there
Balinese seafood skewers
(thanks Gourmet Traveller)
300 gm
skinless snapper or flathead fillet, boned, coarsely chopped
300 gm
uncooked medium prawns, peeled
80 gm (1 cup)
desiccated coconut, moistened with 60ml coconut milk or water
5
kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp
dark palm sugar (see note)
10
thin lemongrass stalks, cut into 15cm lengths, for skewers (see note)
Pinch
of brown sugar mixed with 60ml vegetable oil, for brushing
Spice paste
1
vine-ripened tomato, coarsely chopped
25 gm (5cm piece) each
ginger and fresh turmeric, coarsely chopped
4 each
long red chillies and red birdseye chillies, coarsely chopped
4
garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3
small golden shallots, coarsely chopped
5
candlenuts (see note)
2
lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely chopped
2 tsp
coriander seeds
1 tsp
shrimp paste (see note)
½ tsp
black peppercorns, finely crushed
80 gm (¼ cup)
tamarind pulp, mixed with 60ml water, strained, solids discarded
50 ml
vegetable oil
Method
For spice paste, process ingredients (except
tamarind paste and oil) in a food processor until a fine paste forms,
adding a little water if necessary. Add oil and spice paste to a frying
pan over medium heat and stir-fry until fragrant (5-6 minutes). Add
tamarind and stir frequently until paste is golden (3 minutes), then set
aside to cool.
Process fish and prawns in a food processor
until just blended, then transfer to a bowl and mix with coconut, lime
leaves, palm sugar and spice paste. To test the flavour, fry a little
mixture in oil until cooked through. Adjust seasoning to taste if
required, then mould heaped tablespoons of mixture onto one end of
lemongrass stalks.
Heat a char-grill pan over high heat. Grill
satay, turning and brushing occasionally with brown sugar and oil
mixture, until golden and cooked through (5-6 minutes each side). Serve
hot.
Lychee sorbet (mix with vodka and its an instant margarita...)
60 grams sugar
300 grams lychees (canned, frozen in ice cube trays with juice)
1 egg white
350 grams ice cubes
Place the sugar into the TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed
Add the lychee ice followed by the 350 grams of ice and egg white. Slowly turn the speed dial to speed 10. Use the spatula to assist in the incorporation of the lychee with the ice.
This, like all thermie sorbets, is best eaten the day you make it!