This was the best cooking class that my fiancé and me have ever done, but it’s much more than just a cooking class really. Made, Karma, Made’s wife and mother-in-law made this a truly unforgettable experience and the highlight of our holiday in Bali.
We were picked up at 07:30 by Karma from Seminyak and made the 1.5 hour drive to Jatiluwih. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and takes your breath away. We then began a short 2km wander through the rice terraces to meet Made and had lots of photos taken along the way. We went to Made’s home and the base for the cooking class, which takes place in a covered space with unbelievable views over Made’s property. We really can’t emphasise how beautiful the view is whilst you’re cooking and eating! Photos were also taken by Made and Karma throughout.
We were given welcome drinks and then started picking vegetables and herbs from Made’s organic garden. We saw vanilla plants, a beehive and amazing chillies, amongst other things. We then started to cook. Over the course of the day, we made Bumbu Bali, which acted as the base for subsequent dishes, Moringa Soup and Sayar Urap. We enjoyed these as a starter. We went on to make Balinese chicken curry, two types of Satay with accompanying sauces, chicken dumplings and rice. The food was plentiful and delicious!
Throughout the cooking, it was a very hands on experience, as we went through the recipe booklet and were able to prepare the food and cook it with Made. The kitchen was spotless the whole way through and there was clearly a lot of effort made to ensure that chopping boards, pans, plates and utensils remained clean. There was also a nearby sink and Made provided gloves to handle chicken, if we’d wanted them. We felt like we truly learnt how to make these dishes and also understood the ingredients going into each of them. The recipe book was given to us to take home as a souvenir. We finished by making friend bananas and enjoyed these with freshly made Balinese coffee, which is roasted on site.
We were then driven home by Karma. The whole way through the day, we learnt about the history of the rice terraces and how Made’s property is his inheritance. Made explained what the property, and the cooking classes, means to the community there and we saw how much this means to them. We feel really privileged to have been able to attend this class and learnt a huge amount. Thank you so much to you all for this special day! It truly was the highlight of our time in Bali.
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