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Basic Equipment
A few simple tools and utensils

Preparing Balinese food abroad does not require an excess of complex equipment, and with the increasing popularity of Asian cuisines around the world, basic ingredients are generally easy to obtain.

One important item you'll need is a solid wooden chopping block (the bigger the better) and heavy cleaver. This versatile item does everything from chopping up a whole chicken to mincing meat and seafood, bruising a stalk of lemongrass to smashing cardamom pods so they release their fragrance; it is also used to finely chop the chilies, shallots and fragrant roots for seasoning.

Balinese cooks prefer to use terra cotta or clay pots, although these are increasingly being augmented by metal pans. Stainless steel of enameled pans are recommended as the acidity in many dishes makes the use of aluminum inadvisable.

The classic method of cooking rice in Bali is to steam it in a cone of woven bamboo that is inserted over a clay pt of boiling water. Many modern cooks, however, are now turning to electric rice cookers, which not only ensure perfectly cooked rice every time but also keep cooked rice warm. A heavy pot with a firm-fitting lit is a suitable substitute.

For stir-frying rice and noodles, and for deep frying, nothing beats to wok. Its shape means that food tossed during stir frying falls back in the pan and not outside, and less oil is required than a conventional pan for deep frying. In Bali, the wok is also used for braised dishes.

The simplest way of steaming wrapped bundles of food- a popular Balinese cooking method - is to place it on a perforated metal disc that sits inside a wok, a few inches above boiling water, the wok covered with a domed lid. If you don't have a wok, food can be placed in the seaming basket of a pressure cooker, but be sure tot to use the valve on the lid during steaming.

Every Balinese kitchen has a mortar an pestle, used for crushing spices and for making a coarse paste of shallots, chilies and fragrant foots. There's quite a knack in using the shallow grinding stone favored by the Balinese, and in most cases, a food processor with a small bowl or a powerful blender will do the job adequately.

Banana leaves are indispensable to the Balinese cook for wrapping food for steaming, grilling and roasting. The leaf is wiped clean, then softened either in a fire (a gas flame is ideal) or in boiling water before being wrapped around the food. Aluminum foil can be substituted, but it lacks the moisture and subtle flavor imparted by the banana leaf.

Copyright by The Food of Bali, Authentic Recipes from the Island of the Gods

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