Bali - Herbs and Spices

The time is against me or I am so relaxed meanwhile that I don't even think about blogging. 12 years ago I was on Bali for the first time and now for the second time. At that time I said that I don't need it again. Today I have to confess - I am happy to come back.. 

One thing I learned quite a lot about the food here. With every meal it was always said that there are the ingredients and Balinese spices in the food. After a few days I wondered what these spices are and set off on my journey. Somehow I noticed the Indonesian cuisine as quite boring. But that's nowhere near the case. 

I asked myself, what are the special spices that give the kitchen its special taste? After many inquiries - which was not easy - I was able to compile a list of some of the herbs that give Balinese dishes that special flavor and aroma. 

• Balinese Garam Masala (Base Wangen)- Base Wangen consist of 8 different seeds, those are; coriander seed, black peppercorn, white peppercorn, cloves, candle nut, nutmeg, cumin, sesame seed.
• Kaffir lime leaves (daun jeruk purut)- All lemon grass based dishes, including Rawon, Rendang, Sato etc., as well as some coconut milk based recipes use kaffir lime leaves.
• Aromatic ginger/Kaemferia Galanga (kencur)- Kencur, which is also known as white ginger, cutcherry, resurrection lily, sand ginger and aromatic ginger is a flavor-rich herb used in gado-gado and also Balinese Basic Spice Paste (Base Gede or Base Genep).
• Lemon Grass (Sereh), Lemongrass is widely used as a culinary herb in Asian cuisines (mostly fresh), It has a subtle citrus flavor and It is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for use with poultry, fish, beef, and seafood.
• Galanga Root / Alpinia Galanga (Isen / Lengkuas)- Lengkuas are root within ginger family. The robust rhizome has a sharp, sweet taste and smells like a blend of black pepper and pine needles. These aren’t used as a solo herb but grounded together with aromatic ginger, regular ginger, turmeric, garlic, chilies, shallots, and shrimp paste to give Balinese and Indonesian cuisine a lip-smacking taste.
• Salam Leaves (Daun Salam), with common names Indian bay leaf and Indonesian bay leaf, this is traditionally used as a food flavouring 

This should also guarantee my next cooking experiments at home. Of course I packed spices for home. Here only a few pictures with the fresh food from Bali.

On the other hand I have to admit that some days in Ubud gave me a lot of rest. I slept through again and could simply use the day to read in the shade  and move around. Physically as well as mentally - the temporary home made it very easy for me and I enjoyed the friendliness of the people there extremely. Therefore I can only recommend the COMO Uma Ubud to everyone - it has its own philosophy.

Como is not so much about recharging and re-energising myself as it is about connecting to myself – and to the world around me. It is about rekindling my inner fire; it is about stopping to smell the roses. It is about getting your head straight again. 

With that statement und these beautiful pictures – it is going further to Taiwan.