9:24 AM 8/27/98
http://www.intheloop.net/newsstand/newsstar/082698/BALIFOOD.html

Flavors of Bali

By LEAH A. ZELDES
Food Editor

Jakarta and other parts of Indonesia may have been troubled lately, but the island of Bali is a tranquil home to lush tropical resorts, luxury hotels that serve a cuisine fused from Indonesian flavors and haute technique. 



"The recipes look intimidating, because they have so many ingredients," says Mark Baker, chef of Seasons Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, "but they're not difficult." Baker recently visited Bali, to teach chefs at the two Four Seasons resorts there his unique Asian-American fusion cookery. Now, two chefs from those hotels, I Made Widana and Vindex Valentino Tengker, are visiting Baker at his restaurant, where they will be cooking a special menu through the end of August, along with Baker, who has created some of his own Balinese-influenced dishes.

As resort chefs, Widana and Tengker prepare dishes that are more complex than the typical home cooking of the island. "It's mainly just the presentation that changes," says Tengker. "The flavors, the ingredients are the same." 

As in most cuisines, a more sophisticated touch means cooking foods lightly: Tengker serves his tuna rare; most Balinese home cooks would prepare it well done. 

"Home cooking (on Bali) is simpler," says Baker, "a lot of stews. Rice is a big part of the meal, with a lot of toppings they put on top of the rice or fold into the rice."

"We always have some rice," says Tengker. "We always have some main meal -- seafood or meat and vegetables -- we eat that for breakfast, lunch and dinner." There are no distinctive foods for different meals, he says. "Generally, we don't have specific meal periods."

Indonesians, he says, traditionally "just eat to generate energy to work. It's starting to change now we have better hotels and restaurants." 

Each Indonesian island has its own flavors. What particularly distinguishes the cuisine of Bali, says Tengker, is the use of a fresh seasoning called lesser galangal, a smaller sibling of galangal, a rhizome used in other Asian cuisines -- both are milder cousins of ginger. Fresh lesser galangal is impossible to come by in this country, however, and Chicago cooks are advised to substitute fresh ginger at a proportion of about one to three.

For the Balinese menu at the Four Seasons, the two chefs brought a lot of their seasonings with them. "It's a fashion in the States that they're now using a lot of Asian ingredients," says Widana. "Now we're bringing even more (hard-to-find) Asian ingredients," he quips. 

"There are three categories of spices" used in Balinese cooking, Widana says. "In every household you'll find those." The three seasoning blends are base genap, or "complete spices," a mixture of lesser galangal, ginger and fresh turmeric; wewangen, a meat-seasoning mixture of ground cloves, nutmeg, coriander and black pepper, reminiscent of medieval Italian spice blends; and suna cekuh, a paste of garlic, lesser galangal and chilies.

According to Widana, "Most Balinese are Hindus -- they don't eat beef." Pork, fish, chicken, ducks and lamb are popular. Elsewhere in Indonesia, the population tends to be Muslim and eschews pork.

The recipes below have been slightly simplified and adapted for American kitchens; however, they will likely still require a visit to an Asian market for some of the ingredients. (Thai Grocery, 5014 N. Broadway Ave., Chicago, is a good source.) For information about the Four Seasons' Balinese festival, call (312) 649-2349. 

Lumpia udang barong 
Lobster spring rolls
Oil for frying

5 cloves garlic, chopped

7 ounces lobster meat, cubed

1 large onion, cut in fine matchsticks

2 medium carrots, cut in fine matchsticks

2 cups finely shredded red cabbage

2 cups finely shredded napa cabbage

3 1/2 ounces cellophane noodles, softened in boiling water

1 tablespoon minced fresh red chilies or to taste 

Salt and pepper to taste

20 spring-roll wrappers

5 tablespoons cornstarch



Heat a wok with with a tablespoon or two of oil over high heat. Add the garlic and lobster; then stir well until lobster is half-cooked -- it will be slightly opaque but still translucent -- about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vegetables, noodles and chilies. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture cool down.

Lay out the spring-roll wraps and portion the filling on top. Fold in two corners diagonally over the filling, then fold a third corner over and roll up, wetting the wrapper to get it to stick. Sprinkle the rolls with cornstarch.

Heat oil in a large wok to 375 degrees. Fry the rolls, a few at a time, turning as necessary, till golden brown. Slice diagonally to serve. 20 rolls.

Sweet and sour sauce for spring rolls
4 teaspoons oil

1/4 cup sliced onion

1 large shallot, peeled, crushed

1 medium red chili, seeded and roughly sliced

2 tablespoons sliced carrot 

2 tablespoons sliced leek 

2 teaspoons white peppercorns

1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, crushed

1/2 cup tomato ketchup

1 1/2 cups water

5 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

Salt to taste

4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 



In a saute pan, heat the oil and saute the onion, shallot, chili, carrot, leek, white peppercorns and ginger until aromatic.

Add the ketchup, 1 1/4 cups water, the vinegar and sugar; add salt as needed.

Continue cooking the sauce for about 30 minutes. Mix the remaining water and cornstarch and add to the sauce for thickening.

Mango coulis for spring rolls
1 cup water

3/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons dried red chili

5 cloves garlic, chopped

3 pounds mangos, peeled, pitted and pureed 

Salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool down and blend in a food processor.

Ikan tongkol asam pedas
Marinated tuna 
12 ounces tuna steak

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup saos asam pedas (recipe below)

1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed hot red chilies, dry-fried till fragrant

2 tablespoons oil

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Put the tuna steaks in a pan. Season with salt and pepper and 2 tablespoonful of saos asam pedas. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.

Grill tuna steak on a hot grill. Baste with the rest of the marinade on both sides until cooked to desired doneness, about 7 minutes per inch of thickness.

Heat the remaining sauce and serve over the fish. 2 servings

Saos asam pedas
Turmeric, chili and tamarind sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 medium shallot, roughly cut

2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon chopped garlic 

2 tablespoons chopped, roasted macadamia nuts 

1 medium red chili, seedless, chopped

2 kaffir lime leaves or 1-inch piece lime zest

3 tablespoons diluted tamarind concentrate

2/3 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

Salt and pepper to taste



In a saucepan, heat the peanut oil and saute the shallot, ginger, garlic, nuts, chili, and lime leaves until very fragrant. Let cool and transfer to a food processor. Puree the mixture until smooth.

Transfer back to the saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes. 

Sayur urap 
Steamed mixed vegetables
Suna cekuh (ginger-garlic paste):

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped shallots

1/3 cup chopped garlic (about 2 heads)

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 teaspoon minced red hot chili

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorn, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric



Vegetables:

2 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons minced red chilies 

1 medium shallot, minced 

1 clove garlic, minced

2/3 pound green beans, blanched

2/3 pound baby corn, blanched

1/4 pound spinach, clean, blanched

1 medium red chili, slivered 

2/3 pound carrots, cut in sticks and blanched

2/3 pound napa cabbage, shredded

1/3 cup toasted shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste

Salt and pepper to taste



Make the ginger-garlic paste: Heat the oil in a saucepan. Pour in all ingredients; stir carefully until aromatic. Blend mixture in a food processor until it becomes a paste. Place back in a pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the stove and let cool.

Prepare the vegetables: Heat the oil in a saucepan; add the chilies, shallot and garlic and saute till browned. Scrape into a mixing bowl, with the oil, and let cool. Add the anchovy paste, coconut, salt and pepper. Toss well. Add the ginger-garlic paste.

Mix the vegetables and steam till crisp tender. Toss with the spice mixture. Serve warm. 2 servings.

