Balinese Food
These humid spring days in Vermont remind me of the time I spent living on the equator in Bali. Every afternoon, rain showers would refresh the island and support the thriving plant life. I lived with a family who prepared delicious food and taught me how to cook it, not with recipes but with hands, stories, and laughter. Here are my renditions of some of the dishes I enjoyed so much. I hope this menu piques your curiosity.
Coconut is such a potent healing food. It is anti-microbial, anti-viral, and healing to the skin and mucus membranes. Tempeh is a wonderful fermented food that is much more digestible than unfermented soy and benefits the gut microbiome as well.
Enjoy!
Marinated Tempeh with Spinach and Coconut Milk
Slice tempeh into 1/2½inch cubes (both length-wise and width-wise, depending on the thickness of the tempeh).
Throw cubes into a large bowl and add these ingredients:
1 Tablespoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each cumin and coriander
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
1/4¼cup sesame oil
Toss with a spoon until tempeh cubes are well-coated. Leave to marinate for ½ hour.
Meanwhile, peel and dice two large shallots.
Then, mince 1 inch fresh ginger root.
Place 2 Tablespoons coconut oil in a deep-bottomed skillet and sauté shallots and ginger for 5 minutes, or until shallots are translucent.
Add salt, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
Add the tempeh and its marinade.
Open a can of coconut milk, mix well, and add to skillet. Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes.
Wash and chop 1 large bunch spinach.
Add to the skillet and simmer for 5 more minutes, until spinach is well wilted.
Coconut Pancakes
Mix together:
a cap-full of apple cider vinegar OR lemon juice concentrate
1/4 cup vegetable oil (olive or sunflower oil)
1 egg or 2 Tablespoons freshly ground flax seeds
1/4½cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2¼cup rice flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Cook in an oiled skillet as pancakes and serve with the tempeh dish.
Click this link to watch a cooking video on how to make sambal asam, Balinese spicy paste.
