Bali Food Guide
Tjok Maya Kerthyasa’s Guide to Authentic Balinese Food
Season 5. Episode 10. Listen to full episodes of the Podcast, here.
Bali’s culinary traditions are rich, complex, and deeply tied to the island’s culture. Yet, for many visitors, the true flavors of Bali remain hidden beneath layers of fusion restaurants and tourist-friendly menus. Enter Tjok Maya Kerthyasa, journalist-turned-author and stylist of Paon: Real Balinese Cooking, who is on a mission to share the island’s most treasured food traditions with the world.
"As much as the book is about Balinese cuisine, it carries a universal message: bringing the soul back into cooking."
In the latest episode of the Cleopatra’s Bling podcast, host Olivia Cummings sits down with Maya in her lush Ubud garden to explore the soul of Balinese cuisine—its history, rituals, and deep connection to the land. They discuss everything from the spiritual significance of the paon (kitchen) to foraging wild ingredients and the importance of slow, intentional cooking.
One of the most surprising insights? Despite common assumptions that cooking is primarily a woman’s role in Bali, many Balinese men are deeply involved in the kitchen. Certain techniques, like preparing lawar (a finely chopped meat and spice dish), satay, and other ceremonial foods, are traditionally reserved for men. Meanwhile, home cooking is often a shared responsibility, with both men and women contributing to the daily meals.
Maya also shares her top three tips for discovering authentic Balinese food.
1. Start at the Market
Morning and night markets are a feast for the senses, offering home-cooked specialties you won’t find in restaurants. Try bubur (rice porridge), tipat cantok (rice cakes with peanut sauce), and fresh sambals straight from local kitchens.
2. Master the Spice Paste
Balinese cuisine begins with base genep, a fragrant spice blend that forms the foundation of many dishes. Maya recommends making it by hand with a volcanic rock mortar and pestle for the most authentic flavour.
3. Ask a Local
Some of Bali’s best meals aren’t on any menu. Engage with locals, ask about their favourite dishes, and you may even find yourself invited into a Balinese home for a truly special dining experience.
Tune in to the full episode to uncover the beauty of Balinese food and its deep cultural roots.
Published by Hardie Grant, I Wayan Kresna Yasa and Tjok Maya Kerthyasa’s Paon: Real Balinese Cooking is a cookbook of true Balinese food and recipes. Sharing more than 80 dishes alongside essays and beautiful photography capturing the life, culture and food from Bali, the book is available where all good books are sold.
All images courtesy of Hardy Grant Books.