Balinese food is closely tied to ceremony and community. Many of the island's signature dishes, such as babi guling, lawar, bebek betutu and sate lilit, are prepared for festivals and rituals, often by groups of men working together. Today they are also served in warungs and restaurants, giving visitors a taste of the flavors behind Balinese ceremonial life.
Babi guling is a whole pig stuffed with spices and roasted on a spit. Lawar is a mix of minced meat, vegetables, grated coconut and spices, sometimes with fresh blood. Bebek betutu is duck rubbed with spice paste, wrapped in leaves and slow-cooked. Sate lilit is minced meat or fish wrapped around lemongrass or bamboo sticks and grilled. Many dishes share a complex spice paste called base genep.
Before Galungan, on Penampahan, men gather to prepare lawar and other dishes for the festival. Food is also part of offerings, from small portions of rice to elaborate towers of fruit and cakes. Visitors can try these dishes at warungs across the island, and cooking classes in Ubud and elsewhere explain their ceremonial roots. Note that babi guling and lawar often contain pork.
Highlights
- Babi guling roast suckling pig
- Lawar with coconut and spices
- Slow-cooked bebek betutu
- Sate lilit on lemongrass sticks
Good to know
- Take a cooking class to learn about base genep and ceremonial dishes.
- Ask whether lawar contains raw blood if you prefer to avoid it.
- Try babi guling at a local warung for the most authentic version.
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