part of daily life and not just something paraded for tourists, Bali is also home to a distinctive cuisine. And because some of its chefs— like the tourists — come from around the world to work side-by-side with Balinese chefs, Bali has become another center where a creative new cuisine based on traditional dishes is evolving.
Many of the fresh herbs which enhance the food of Malaysia and Indonesia also add their almost head-spinning aroma to the food of Thailand and Vietnam. Redolent of the jungle, they include lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, Indonesian salam leaf, a range of basils, fresh cilantro, regular mint, long-stemmed or "Vietnamese mint," and fragrant pandan leaves.
The cuisine of Thailand and Vietnam is admired throughout tropical Asia, and some of its most distinctive ingredients, such as salty, pungent fish sauce, are borrowed by neighboring cooks. Thailand has several different regional cuisines but, overall, the food can be described as intensely flavorful. It is often hot, yet mild dishes soothed by coconut milk or reflecting Chinese origins can also be found. Lovers of fresh vegetables, the Thais are masters at producing superb salads. In Vietnam, salads may consist of a large platter of fresh herbs which are eaten together with cooked food ranging from fresh or deep-fried spring rolls to grilled meats. Less spicy than the cuisine of Thailand, Vietnamese food is generally fragrant, sometimes slightly sweet, and as it is rarely deep-fried — ideal for health-conscious food lovers.
To discover more of the fresh new flavors of tropical Asia, turn the pages of this book, choose a recipe or two, visit your nearest Asian market, then start cooking. Decorate your table with a piece of batik cloth or a sari, scatter it with orchids or perfumed flowers, put on a CD of haunting gamelan music, light an incense stick, and enjoy the sensations of tropical Asia.
Tandoori lobster; Henry the heron enjoys a morning stroll; Resort fishermen display their catch—Maldives
tropical morning
A tropical dawn. Perfectly still, perfectly silent. The breeze has not yet begun ruffling the coconut fronds, and the sun is just beginning to run silver fingers over the calm sea. Then the strident call of a kingfisher signals the full arrival of the day. Responding to the wake-up call, other birds start to warble and whistle, insects begin their gentle hum, and thoughts turn slowly to breakfast. Whether it's an early breakfast or a mid-morning brunch taken after that first refreshing dip in the sea or swimming pool, the fresh beauty of a tropical morning deserves to be celebrated at the table. A positive cornucopia of tropical fruits — pineapple, mango, papaya, guava, starfruit, bananas, rambutan, and salak (snake fruit) to name just a few — is there to enjoy. Try your fruit blended with yogurt as a smoothie or lassi, or turn your tropical fruit into a simple jam, flavored with local herbs and spices such as lemongrass, cinnamon, and star anise. Instead of regular cereal, why not enjoy Bali's glutinous black rice, made into a type of sweet porridge and served with bananas with a hazelnut and chocolate filling? Still on the theme of rice, there's the wonderful savory rice porridge with Taiwan-style accompaniments. Alternatively, you might like to try Balinese-style muesli or a south Indian masala dosai (a potato-stuffed crispy pancake) to set you up for the day. If you regard breakfast or brunch as incomplete without eggs, you could enjoy a succulent Chinese-style crab and asparagus omelet with pickles, or poached eggs on ham with a medley of vegetables and spicy hollandaise sauce. Don't forget to add coffee (you could flavor it with cardamom pods or a stick of cinnamon), or try Asian green tea, simple and unadorned. Deliciously satisfied by your breakfast or brunch, the day is yours to enjoy.
Mango, fig, and date breakfast bar
8 oz (250 g) dried mango, chopped
12 oz (375 g) dried figs, chopped
8 oz (250 g) dried dates, pitted and chopped
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) vegetable oil
Scant 1 cup (250 g) honey
1/2 cup (125 g) soft brown sugar
8 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 orange
1 lemon
1 1/2 cups (435 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 3/4 cups (280 g) rolled oats
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons cinnamon powder
2 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
The warm fragrance of cinnamon permeates this mixture of dried fruits, citrus juice and zest, flour, oats, and honey. Make these in advance and store in an airtight container for serving at breakfast, or any time a delicious fruity snack is called for.
1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, gas 4).
2 Place dried fruits in a bowl and add warm water to just cover the fruit. Soak for 5 minutes, then strain, discarding any liquid.
3 Whisk together the oil and honey in a bowl, then add sugar, eggs, and vanilla essence. Grate the orange and lemon to obtain the zest, then squeeze to obtain the juice. Add both lots of zest and juice to the bowl and whisk to combine.
4 Place flour, oats, baking and cinnamon powders, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a large bowl, stirring to mix well. Add the dried fruits and honey mixture, stirring to combine.
5 Transfer the mixture into a small greased non-stick loaf pan, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350°F until set, about 30 minutes. Cool, turn out, then cut across into bars. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to one month.
Trio of tropical jams
Pineapple, vanilla, and star anise jam
3 1/2 teaspoons powdered pectin
1 cup (250 g) sugar
1 lb (500 g) finely diced fresh ripe pineapple
4 vanilla beans, split lengthways
1 whole star anise
Papaya, clove, and lemongrass jam
3 1/2 teaspoons powdered pectin
1 cup (250 g) sugar
1 lb (500 g) finely diced firm, ripe papaya
2 stems lemongrass, very finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Rhubarb and nutmeg jam
3 1/2 teaspoons powdered pectin
1 cup (250 g) sugar
1 lb (500 g) finely diced rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pineapple, vanilla, and star anise jam
1 Put pectin in a small
