Legong Dance

The story derives from the history of East Java in the 1 2th and 1 3th centuries: when on a journey the King of Lasem finds the maiden Rangkesari lost in the forest. He takes her home and locks her in a house of stone. Rangkesari’s brother, the Prince of Daha, learns of her captivity and threatens war unless she is set free.Rangkesari begs her captor to avoid war by giving her liberty, but the king prefers to fight. On his way to battle, he is met by a bird of ill omen that predicts his death. In the fight that ensues he is killed. The dance dramatizes the farewells of the King of Laserm as he departs for the battlefield and his ominous encounter with the bird. It opens with an introductory solo by the condong. She moves with infinite suppleness, dipping to the ground and rising in one unbroken motion, hertorso poised in an arch with elbows and head held high, while fingers dance circles around her wrists. Slowly, her eyes focus on two fans laid before her and, taking them, she turns to meet the arrival of the legongs.

The tiny dancers glitter and dazzle. Bound from head to foot in gold brocade, it is a wonder the legongs can move with such fervent agitation. Yet, the tight composure of the body, balanced by dynamic directive gestures-the flash of an eye, the tremble of two fingers blend in unerring precision.After as hort dance, the condong retires, leaving the legongs to pantomime the story within the dance. Like a controlled line of an exquisite drawl ing, the dancers flowfrom one identity intothel next without disrupting the harmony of t dance. They may enter as the double image one’ character, their movements marked tight synchronization and rhythmical verve Then they may split, each enacting a separate role, and come together in complementary halves to form a unified pattern, as in the plan ful love scene in which they “rub noses The King of Lasem bids farewell to his queen, and takes leave of Rangkesari. She repels his advances by beating him with he fananddepartsin anger. lt is then the condong reappears as a bird with wild eyes fixed upon the king. Beating its golden wings to a strange flutter of cymbals, it attacks the king in a vain attempt to dissuade him from war. The ancient narrative relates: “. .. a black bird came flying out of the northeast and swooped down upor the king, who saw it and said, ‘Raven, hoi come you to swoop down on me? In spiteo; all, 1 shall go out and fight. This 1 shall do, oh raven!… With the king’s decision understood the dance may end; or the other legong may return on stage as his prime minister, and,, shimmering unison, they whirl thefinal step is: war.

Fried Banana

Fried bananas are popular throughout Bali. The slow frying technique used in this recipe ensures that the bananas remain crisp after cooking.

1 cup (160 g) rice flour
2/3 cup (150 ml) water
½ tspn sea salt
5 medium bananas
Oil for frying

Place rice flour in deep mixing bowl. Make a well in middle of the flour, and add water and salt. Whisk vigorously until batter is evenly smooth for coating and not too thin (if too thin, add more rice flour).
Peel bananas and cut in half length wise. Dip into batter to coat generously. Heat oil in wok or deep fryer until moderately hot. Add bananas and fry slowly until golden brown and crispy. This will take about 15 minute. Remove bananas from oil, drain on paper napkins and dry well.

Grilled Fish in Banana LeavesWhat would the Balinese have done without banana leaves? Pliable and porous, they are perfect for grilling and steaming as they retain natural flavours while imparting their own subtle aroma.

Served : 4-8
600 gms. (18 oz) fish banana leaves
4 shredded lime leaves salam leaves for each parcel
Spices :
6 Garlic 3 shallots
2 tomatoes 1 tsp. sea salt
3 candlenut 2 stalks of lemongrass
¼ tspn. shrimp paste ½ tsp. black pepper
1 tspn. tamarind 3 large red chilli
2-4 small chilli 1 ½ tbspn. fresh galangal
1 tspn. fresh turmeric 2 tsp. ginger
2 tspn. palm sugar 1 tsp. coriander seeds
3 tbs. oil Fragrant ginger, chilli and fresh fish are wrapped together and grilled over hot, coconut coals. The result is a deliciously golden and healthy meal. Try parchment paper if banana leaves are not available and barbeque your fish or grill in the oven in the absence of hot coconut coals.

Grind the spices with the oil in a mortar and pestle or blend in the container of a food processor until you have a fragrant, golden yellow paste, flecked with chilli and tomato skin. Chop the into fat chunks, rooughly 4 cm x 4 cm or leave whole if you prefer. Shred the lime leaves. Mix thoroughly with the spice paste. Oil and fish. Cut the banana leaves into rectangles roughly the size of a standard envolope. Wrap the fish in one or two layers of banana leaves, with a salam leaf underneath. Roll over and secure the ends with a toothpick or tie with string.
Grill, steam or barbecue the fish for five minutes or until cooked.
Serve with steamed rice and Kangkung pelecing.

Fern Lawar

Serves 6-8
500 gm. fern 2 lime leaves, shredded
1 – 1½ cup coconut, grilled & grated 3 tbsp.
Fried shallot
Ssalt to taste 2 tbsp.
Oil Madam (spice mixture)
100 gm./3 oz chicken mince salt to taste
3 tbsp. base genep 2 lime leaves
1 cup coconut milk 1 stick lemongrass, knotted
1½ cup water 2 salam leaves
2 tbsp sambal goreng

Lawar is a ceremonial food and part of a sacred task known as Mebat. This refers to the chopping of all the ingredients to be uses in the ceremony by the local men. Seated in a large circle, armed with cleavers and rustic chopping boards, meat, vegetables, coconut and spices are rhythmically chopped. At the head of this task group, sits the man who is expert at mixing Lawar. In the traditional recipe, animal blood and entrails are added, as well as lots of extra chopped chilli. Our recipe is a simplified version of this!

To prepare the Madam, sautee the chicken mince with the Base Genep in a small amount of oil, over a medium flame, with the lime leaves, lemongrass and salam leaves. Add the water and simmer until the chicken is cooked. Add the coconut milk, simmer and stir for a further 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Set a side to cool. Steam or boil the fern, and chopped finely. Mix the lime leaves, sambal goreng, fried shallots, and madam thoroughly with the grated coconut. Add the cooked, chopped fern. Add salt, extra fried onion and lime leaves if necessary. NOTE : The Madam can also be made with 2 cups of water in place of the coconut milk.

Raw Chilli Seasoning

INGREDIENTS:
5 shallots
1 large red chilli, seeds removed 8 tbspn. oil
5 small chillies 1 tspn. grated ginger
1 lemongrass stalk 5 kaffir lime leaves,shredded
1 tsp. torch ginger bud, chopped
½ tsp. shrimp paste, roasted Sea salt to taste
½ tsp. torch ginger shoot, chopped

This is one of most popular sambals eaten in Bali and is usually served at the warungs selling fresh grilled fish that have sprung up a long Bali’s coastline. Its clean, crisp flavour goes perfectly with seafood and it’s also a wonderful accompaniment to summer salads, grilles chicken and chunks of avocado.

Slice the shallots finely, mix with a teaspoon of salt to extract any bitterness. Wash and set aside, chop the ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves and chilli finely.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly making sure the shrimp paste is blendes in.. Add sea salt to taste.

Note : wash hands thoroughly after handling these ingredients. If chilli burns your skin, rub oil on the spot. Coconut oil is the preferred oil for this sambal.

Balinese Seafood Satay

This is probably the most delicious satay you’ll ever encounter. The delicate flavours of the shrimp and fish are greatly improved if you can find spears of fresh lemongrass to use as skewers. And if you can cook them overafire of coconut husks rather than charcoal. Nonetheless, even with wooden skewers and a standart charcoal grill. This is one of those dishes that guaranteed to impress your friends. You can also use this mixture for Thai-style fish patties.Serves : 4-8

300 gms (10 oz) Tuna, mackerel or sword fish
300 gms (10 oz) raw shrimp, peeled
4 Kaffir lime leaves, shredded
¼ cup of coconut milk
3 tbspn palm sugar
Sea salt to taste
Lemongrass stalks or bamboo skewers
3 tbspn fried shallots
4-5 tbspn Base Genep

Slice the fish and the shrimp into chunks, place in container of the food processor and blend until ground like sausages mince, or chop finely with a cleaver in large bowl. Mix the ground fish with the base genep, lime leaves, coconut milk, palm sugar and salt thoroughly until it forms a strong dough.
Take a tablespoon of the mixture and wrap onto a stalk of lemongrass. The end should be slightly thicker, like a drumstick.
Grill under a pre-heated griller of barbeque over hot coals. Rotate the stick as it cooks so that it browns evenly. Brush the satay with coconut milk if they are getting brown too quickly.
Garnish with fried shallots and serve with steamed rice.