While Bali has some truly amazing dishes (see here) and the cuisine is much more unique within Asia than some people might think (see here), there’s also some oddballs that may seem pretty strange – and even downright disgusting – to Western palettes.
But if you’re game to try just about anything, here’s some of the weirdest dishes Bali has to offer:
Lawar: raw pork and blood salad
Lawar is a traditional Balinese salad mix that accompanies pretty much every rice dish in Bali. However, there are 2 types of lawar: White lawar (right) is less bizarre and consists of shredded coconut, young jackfruit slices, string beans and spices. Red lawar (left), however, contains raw sliced meat and pig’s blood. If you’re daring enough to try it, you can find it served at very local warungs and restaurants that serve babi guling.
Rujak Kuah Pindang: spicy fruit salad in tuna broth
Rujak is a traditional fruit salad with a twist – it’s doused in a dressing of liquefied shrimp paste, salt and chilies. In Bali, locals often order theirs with kuah pindang(tuna broth) added!
Urutan: pig intestine sausages
Urutanis Bali’s version of blood sausages. While some Europeans may be accustomed to sausage skins filled with blood, if it’s something new to you, be warned: It’s definitely an acquired taste.
Ancruk: sago worms
In some rural areas of Bali, kids dig under wilted banana trunks to find these ugly, thumb-sized larvae calledancruk. After being thoroughly washed and cleaned, these gummy morsels are then roasted or fried with spices to make for a high-protein snack.
Keripik Usus Ayam: crackling chicken intestines
In Western cooking, an animal’s entrails are typically discarded… but in Indonesia, usus ayam or chicken intestines are cleaned, basted in turmeric and tapioca flour and then deep-fried.
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Clengis: steamed coconut oil sediment
Clengis (or tlengis) is a byproduct of traditional coconut oil processing. The foam and residue that rises to the top of boiling coconut milk is sifted away to be coal-roasted in banana wraps. The result is a white, mildly sweet and soft-textured condiment that tastes like a cross between melted cheese and shiitake mushrooms.
Lawar Nyawan: bee larvae salad
The main ingredient in Lawar nyawanis bee larvae and their honeycombs. Sometimes the honeycomb is left intact and, during the cooking process, the larvae ooze out. The larvae are then added to the regular mix of vegetable and spices that make up a typical lawar. However, unlike the others on this list, this dish is a common meal because it depends entirely on the harvesting of beehives.
*Keluak: football fruit
While Keluakis indispensable in several Southeast Asian dishes, in its raw form this fruit and its seeds contain hydrogen cyanide – a highly toxic substance if consumed uncooked. When boiled or roasted, however, keluakgives a wonderful (and safe to consume) flavor and aroma to soups and stews.
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