A Day in Bali Garden

Satay or sate in Bahasa Indonesian spelling, is small pieces of seasoned meat, skewered, grilled and served with sauce. A dish widely popular in Asia; Indonesia and Malaysia are the two countries where satay can be commonly found. Chicken, mutton and beef are typically used in both countries as the majority of the population are Moslem. The great thing about Indonesia is the diversity of religion, culture and cuisines. The island of Java with a Moslem majority, use plenty of chicken and mutton but if you travel to a different part of the country such as Borneo, North Sumatra and Bali, people eat pork.  The most popular satay has to be Sate Ayam or Chicken Satay, served with sweet peanut sauce and rice or rice cakes. The chicken thigh is cut up into small pieces and each skewer will have 4 pieces of meat. The raw satay is then marinated with sweet soy sauce and garlic before being cooked over a charcoal grill. Since the meat is a small size, the skewers do not take long t

The best thing about Sunday is being able to sit and have a meal with your family. The stress from a daily routine should melt away with wonderful company and amazing food. Who can pass freshly baked pasta straight out of the oven for a Sunday dinner? Lasagna and cannelloni are the most famous traditional Italian baked pasta dishes that can be enjoyed anytime. Traditional recipes passed down from generation to generation keep the dish authentic. Cannelloni is shaped like a tube to be filled with meat sauce or spinach and ricotta which is then covered with more tomato sauce and bechamel. You don’t need to be a professional chef to bake a great cannelloni with this simple recipe! Beef Cannelloni Filling: 1 kg minced beef 1 tbsp. olive oil 1000 ml tomato basil sauce 400 g dried cannelloni tubes Bechamel: 50 g butter 50 g plain flour 500 ml whole milk Topping: 100 g parmesan, grated Method: Filling: Sautee the beef in a pan on a

Who doesn’t love a good juicy burger? A perfectly grilled thick beef patty in between a soft burger bun is perfect to be eaten at any time of the day. Technically a sandwich, practically anything under the sun can be inside. The most common additions would be bacon, egg and onion to the somewhat acquired taste such as artichoke, beetroot and foie gras. Although we can go in so many directions with burgers, sometimes simplicity is perfection. Get your grill fired up because we are about to start cooking some great burgers! The Burger Beef Patty 500 g beef mince 1 onion finely chopped 2 tsp garlic chopped 1/4 cup breadcrumb 2 eggs beaten 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce The Burger 120 g beef patty 30 g crispy bacon 20 gr mushroom button, sautéed 20 g white onion, caramelized 20 gr pickled jalapeno, sliced 20 gr gherkin, sliced 1 slice American White cheddar cheese 2 leaves of iceberg lettuce 15 g tomato sauce 5 g yellow mustard 1 pcs burger bun, to

New Year’s Eve is coming in just 4 weeks and as it goes around the world many traditions will influence how we celebrate the changing of the year. In Indonesia, fireworks and prayers are loud and clear in the night sky but in any other countries there are more elaborate ways to celebrate the changing of the year. Brazil: On the famous beach of Copacabana, people will dress in white as a symbol of good luck for the year ahead. Champagne is traditionally drunk and eating grapes and lentils are customs associated with the holiday. Chile: It is believed that wearing the color yellow on New Year’s Eve will restore the vitality in one’s life. For good luck, people will leave coins on their door step or walk around with money in their hands. Japan: New Year's Eve is used to prepare for and welcome Toshigami, the New Year's god. People clean their home to welcome the god before New Year's Eve. Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight representing the

It is easy to say that one of the most popular finger foods of all time are Chicken Wings smothered in hot sauce, the perfect match for a glass of cold beer on a night out at the bar. No shame in licking your fingers after every bite because it would be such a waste to wipe the sticky, sweet and spicy sauce onto a napkin. To profess your love of Hot Wings, Aribar is hosting a Hot Wings Challenge! So you think you can handle the heat? The challenge is simple, finish 25 pieces of Hot Wings in under 3 minutes. Aribar will provide you with a bottle of ice cold beer to cool the burning sensation and to help bring things down. If you beat the HEAT, the devoured Hot Wings and beer are free; we will put a photo of you wearing the Aribar Beat the Heat T shirt on our wall with a victorious smile. You don’t want to be a loser, if you let the Heat Beat you and fail the challenge, we will simply give you the bill for the wings and beer.   If you are not up for the challenge; Sit tight

A Holiday is about seeing new things, breaking away from your daily routine and releasing all that stress from work. When in Bali , stress relief can go from one extreme to the other. Climbing Mount Batur, rafting in Ubud, or jump off of a cliff into the clear water at Gitgit Waterfall are prime activities for the adrenalin junkies while for the seeker of inner peace and relaxation they can opt for Yoga and meditation classes, sunset watching on the cliffs of Uluwatu and of course the ultimate relaxation, a Balinese Massage session. Balinese massage is believed to stimulate the blood flow and relax tight and sore muscles. This particular massage technique consists of firm and gentle stroking with warm essential oil and acupressure. The therapist does not apply hard pressure on the body unlike reflexology, so total relaxation can be achieved. A typical full body Balinese massage would go from one to two hours per session. The therapist will start from your feet and slowly wo

In today’s busy world, breakfast is often replaced by a hot cup of coffee or a bowl of high sugared cereal with milk. Once said as the most important meal of the day is now seen as a hassle and nobody seems to have time do a proper breakfast. The best way to start your day is with a serving of fresh fruits as they contain plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to fuel the body throughout the day. Fruits with deep red or purple colors such as dragon fruits, grapes and blueberries contain high levels of antioxidants while fruits with bright color such as pineapples, papayas and mangos contain pigments called “carotenoids” that the body can convert into vitamin A. Although the convenience of opening a package of boxed cereal is undisputable, with a little effort you can provide your body with these natural sources of vitamins. Here is a simple healthy smoothie bowl that is guaranteed to taste better than the sugar coated corn flakes. Healthy Bowl

The word Salsa can be defined into two main things, Latin America dance and a hot tomato based sauce. First, let’s talk about the dance. The word “salsa” does mean “sauce” in Spanish, it is believed Salsa was being associated to the dance because like a good bowl of salsa, it contains a lot of heat and great elements. The dance movement first started in Cuba in the 1800’s, with many forms such as Cha Cha Cha and Mambo, it travels through the Caribbean Islands which then take it further to the Latino communities in New York in the 1970s. The dance forms vary from two people standing in front of each other while focusing on the hip movement or two people circling intimately close to each other and one person leading their dance partner by confidently moving their hand on the other person’s hip or the small of their back. Like many things in life, Salsa can be learnt and mastered but if you know that you are a person with two left feet it may be a bit of a challenge.

In Asia, noodles are the closest thing to life itself. From China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and many other Asian countries have their own signature noodle dish that represent the culture and the flavor profile of each country. Do you consider yourself an avid traveler and a noodle aficionado? We have 10 top Noodle dishes from across Asia that are worth trying. 1. Mie Goreng The classic, can’t go wrong dish, Indonesian style fried noodle. The stir fry noodle, usually mixed with chicken and garnished with fried egg, is coated with thick sweet soy sauce balanced with the heat from the spices. The noodles are made with egg and flour, resulting in a chewy thick noodle that is perfect to carry all the spices. 2. La Mien La mien is a Chinese noodle made by pulling the dough into strands of noodles. The art of noodle pulling can only be mastered after years of practice. The perfect noodle is usually served with flavorful clear chicken broth with various meat

For Mexican and the Tex-Mex food lover, Burrito is one of the main options on a menu, next to Tacos. Unlike taco, which is only folded around the filling, burrito is a large rolled up flour tortilla typically filled with meat and refried beans. The rolled up tortilla is grilled until it is golden brown and holds its cylinder shape. In the USA, a burrito is not only filled with refried beans and meat, vendors would add Mexican style rice, cheese, guacamole and lettuce to bulk the burrito up. The word “burrito” means “little donkey”, a diminutive form of the word “burro” that means “donkey”. In Mexico , donkeys were commonly used as a mode of transportation, carrying bedrolls and packs similar to a burrito, the food. To satisfy burrito cravings, a simple and easy Chicken and Beans Burrito can come a long way. Ingredients 1 tbsp. olive oil 100 Gr corn kernels 50 Gr diced red onion 100 Gr black beans 150 Gr cooked Long-grain rice 200 Gr cooked, shredded chicken 1

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, this means diversity of culture, language, food and religion at its finest. When travelling through Indonesia , it is highly recommended to try different types of cuisine across the islands. Although the majority of the country’s population is Muslim and the consumption of pork is highly regulated, Bali excels at being a destination for the pork eater. The one pork dish that shines brighter than the others is Nasi Babi Guling or Suckling Pig. Babi Guling is the Balinese style Pork Roast, served family style in numerous ceremonies as a feast and togetherness. Luckily, we don’t need to have a ceremony to sample one of Bali ’s finest cuisines. Many street vendors sell Babi Guling by portion usually for lunch, price ranges from 10.000 to 25.000. A good Babi Guling vendor would display a whole roasted pig with shiny crackling behind a glass showcase. This means that they most likely roast their own pork with their signature spi

Most adults have experimented with one or many diets to achieve the perfect body image. From miracle pills to water diet, many would go to great length to sheds those extra calories. Extreme dieting usually ends up with a case of eating disorder and most likely to cause what it is called a yoyo diet, where you diet to lose 10 kg but after you succeed you lose track and gain it all back and more. What is recommended is a change of lifestyle that surpasses the idea of getting a chiseled body but more on the history of food, animal welfare and most importantly overall health. 1. Paleo The name Paleo comes from The Paleolithic Age, the era of hunters and gatherers. A person on a Paleo diet believe that humans should stick to the diet of the ancestors which consist only of red meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables. Grains, legumes and dairy as they require extensive processing and were not consumed by our ancestor are not included in the diet. Benefit

The term “a cup of Java” is commonly used to describe a cup of coffee. But why “Java”? Java is one of the main islands of Indonesia that back in the 17 th century was colonized by the Dutch and coffee beans were the main commodity. Until today, the term is still used by those who enjoy a hot cup of black coffee in the morning. Coffee bean origins are not the only thing that matters in the modern coffee world; Brewing methods, from French Press to Moka Pot, roasting technique from light roast to dark roast, not to mention the many types of milk that can be used from full fat cow’s milk to almond milk. Remember going to a modern specialty coffee shop for the first time? A regular cup is called a Tall and they actually serve a cup that can contain close to a liter of specialty coffee drinks. A Coffee shop is more than a place to get your cup of strong black coffee that is desperately needed before dealing your boss and colleagues on a week day. For now, let’s get back t

Ginger has been known as a medicinal spice, it is very common to have a ginger and lemon tea when we are feeling under the weather. Indonesia, being a country that is obsessed with strong and complex flavors in food and drinks, has the perfect ginger drink that will surely kick start your body.  Wedang Jahe is the country’s version of ginger tea, packed with other medicinal spices that will not only boost your energy but also satisfy your taste buds. The combination of sweetness from palm sugar and the heat coming out from ginger, nutmeg and cloves is balanced out by the fragrance of lemongrass. The best part of this drink is that it is super easy to make and it does not need any fancy ingredients.   Ingredients 200 Gr Fresh Ginger  160 Gr Palm Sugar 5 Pcs Clove 1 Pcs Lemongrass 1 Pcs Nutmeg 1 Pcs Pandan Leaf 1 Ltr Water Method Slice and roast fresh ginger in a hot pan without oil until it releases the fragrance In a separate