Trying my hand at Balinese cooking in charming Ubud

I've never joined a cooking class before. For this trip I really wanted to try learning basic Balinese cooking. Lobong Cooking Class came highly recommended by Tripadvisor and touted by some as their best experience in Bali.

Reservations were made through email and Sang Made was very patient in answering all my questions. They only accept a maximum of 8 participants per class so you can be assured of individual attention.

I chose the morning class which included a trip to the local market. We were picked up at our hotel by a uniformed driver in a new Toyota Innova. We passed by one other participant then went straight to the local market where we were met by Sang Made and two other participants.

The local market was small and not much different from our small palengkes here but I guess for foreigners it can be an informative experience.

We didn't really buy anything in the market. Sang Made just brought us around to explain the different vegetables and fruits, their origins and uses.

Random images from the local market trip

After the market tour we went to Sang Made's family's compound where we will have our cooking class.

It was a big and beautiful area full of trees and open spaces. It was such a peaceful place. One more reason to pick this cooking class over the other advertised ones where the classes are held inside industrial kitchens.

The family compound

We were welcomed by his sister and her friend who offered us Balinese coffee and pisang goreng, which is like our turon. While having our snack, Sang Made explained the layout of their family compound. There were several smaller single level dwellings inside the compound. Sang Made explained that when one member of the family gets married they first stay at one of the small houses for a few months before they move out. He also told us about several Balinese traditions and practices. It was information overload for the first 30 minutes that we were having our snack.

You can see the entrance to the family temple on the left of the picture

Sang Made, his sister and her friend welcoming us into their beautiful home.
The structure at the background is the main house.

Pisang Goreng and Balinese coffee for a mid morning snack

I forgot what this is called but this is where they remember their dead. The picture on the back is Sang Made's grandfather who passed away recently. Only the priest is allowed to go up the steps.

We stood up to tour the rest of the compound. We saw where lunch will be served which was like a covered gazebo almost in the middle of the family garden. Sang Made's house is on the back of the compound. He told us that they are using the land for free. It is owned by their community. If they stop utilizing the land then it goes back to the community.

This is where they keep their rice. One each for the two daughters of Sang Made's grandfather.

This is Sang Made's house which is less traditional looking than the rest of the structures in the compound. It is also equipped with many modern technologies like a flat screen tv, DVD player etc.

Sang Made introduced us to his mother who showed us how they make their coconut oil. She is an old lady who hardly speaks any English but her gentle and soft demeanor makes you feel like a guest than a "customer" invading their home. In fact during the entire experience we were treated more like visitors than clients.

That is Sang Made's mother to the left. Notice she is pointing at one of the pots with her ladle. Like I said she SHOWED us how they make their cooking oil. Sang Made did all the talking.

The cooking class was handled by a professional chef with the assistance of 5-6 staff. The experience itself exceeded my expectations. Although we didn't get to prepare everything from start to finish it was still hands on enough for you to really learn how to make the basic Balinese dishes included in the menu. We would be doing the chopping and frying and grinding but when we move to the next task/dish the staff would finish up after us. What made the whole experience special is how we were treated by Sang Made, his family and staff.

Very beautiful cooking area.

The master chef showing us all the ingredients we will be using for the dishes we will prepare.

Our gourmet menu for the day.

Chopping station.

While we were grilling the baby chicken (which was killed early that morning) near the courtyard, the staff went ahead to plate the dishes we prepared. We were given cold lemongrass tea which was very refreshing under the warm Balinese sun. It also gave us an occasion to chat with the other participants. There were only 5 of us. A chinese couple from LA and a solo female traveller from England completed the group.

 Martin grilling the chicken. His family owns a asian fusion restaurant in Los Angeles where he is one of the chefs.

Lots of chili for our peanut sauce.

Chef explaining the nuances of Balinese cooking which is also different from Indonesian cooking.

Our eight course menu for the day.

After all the dishes were plated (it all looks so yummy and smells so good!) we were given small offerings which had small portions of everything we prepared to take to the temple. Sang Made's mother led us to the temple. She said some prayers first before we were allowed inside. Sang Made explained the intricacies of Balinese temples and the practices they observe although I think our attention span shortened by a lot after seeing the food which we couldn't wait to eat.  

Ayam Bakar Bumbu Bali - Grilled marinated baby chicken in spicy coconut sauce.

Tempe Manis - Fried soybean cake, lemongrass, chili and palm sugar.

Sate Tusuk Babi - Marinated tenderloin of pork with Balinese spices, bamboo skewered.

Nasi Sela - Sweet potato rice.

We all had to wear sarongs before entering the temple.

We were led to the gazebo which was a perfect location for an al fresco lunch. Most of us had cold beer with lunch. Sophie (not her real name), the solo traveller from England, was telling us how happy she is with how cheap beer in Bali is. She's in Bali only for a two week vacation. She has been working in Australia for close to a year already and the beer there isn't cheap. I told her she'd love Southeast Asia because a bottle of beer in England or Australia can get her an entire bucket here.It blew her mind!

Lunch came in individual plates where everything we cooked were combined in a very colorful and mouthwatering presentation. I can't believe we made all that! The food was really really good. I didn't expect it to taste that good especially since we didn't really get to taste any of the dishes when we were still cooking. It was one of the best meals I've had in Bali. The price of the cooking class was well worth it when you consider the amazing experience and the food served. No regrets at all.

Cold Bintang beer to start lunch with.

Cram Cam Gedang Mekuah - Red bean and papaya soup with shallots.

Mouthwatering and very colorful plate of Balinese goodness. 

I didn't expect them to blend everything together but the different flavors playing in your mouth is
nothing short of orgasmic. 

Bubur Injin - Black rice porridge with coconut milk and palm sugar.
Notice the spoon made out of a palm leaf. How ingenious! This dessert is somewhat similar to our champorado.

At the end of lunch, we were all given a parting gift containing a recipe book of our entire menu and a bottle of coconut oil made right there in their house. Sang Made told us that if we ever need help recreating the recipes or finding alternative ingredients to just email them anytime and they will be glad to help. Everyone was very hospitable and friendly. They really showed us the true Balinese character that the island is famous for.

I would surely recommend Lobong Cooking class to anyone who wants to experience something unique in Ubud and who wants to try authentic Balinese cuisine.






Lobong Cooking Class
www.lobongcooking.com