Caraway Cooking Class is proudly owned by Dewi Sari. I’ve participated in a few different cooking classes in Bali and Dewi’s classes are one of the best cooking classes in Bali.
The classes are taught from Dewi’s traditional Indonesian home. Her home sits opposite beautiful rice paddies just a short 10-minute drive from the centre of Sanur. Dewi has taught Balinese cooking classes for over 8 years.
Dewi either collects you from your accommodation or will meet you at a traditional morning market, if you are doing the morning cooking class from Sanur.
Arrangements for transport can also be made from Kuta, Seminyak, Legain, Canggu, Ubud, Nusa Dua and Jimbaran Bay.
Cooking Class Sanur
Table of Contents
Starting your Caraway Cooking Class Sanur at the morning markets, you’ll be taken on a guided tour, experiencing the interaction between Dewi and the stallholders. You will collect ingredients for your class and can even try a few ingredients as you tour the market.
With the main ingredients bought it’s then time to head to Dewi’s home where your Bali cooking class begins.
On the day I attended the following Balinese cooking recipes were planned
- Beef Rendang
- Chicken Satay
- Fried Noodles
- Dadar Gulung (green pancakes)
I say planned as Dewi swiftly changed out the noodles for Nasi Goreng and Dadar Gulung for Klepon (sweet rice ball). I’d casually mentioned I am gluten intolerant on our market tour, so the menu quickly changed mid-tour.
In the Balinese cooking class with Dewi, she teaches you the art of Balinese and Indonesian cooking. Including the skills of slicing, dicing, grinding and blending the freshest of ingredients to create unique flavours.
The Balinese cooking recipes have passed down from generation to generation. In fact, it was Dewi’s Grandmother that taught her how to cook. Many of the dishes are cherished secret family recipes Dewi now shares in her classes.
An added ingredient here and there makes all the difference to a recipe. The balance and flavours make the recipe unique to a family.
The first recipe for the day made at this cooking class in Bali was Beef Rendang. I was thrilled to see this dish on the menu as it’s one of my favourite curries.
Whilst I’ve made Rendang in my own kitchen at home, it just doesn’t compare to Dewi’s traditional dish.
Cooking Class Bali: Learning To Cook Balinese Beef Rendang
First thing to doing to make this dish from scratch is grinding all the fresh ingredients in an old mortar and pestle. Not an upright mortar, but a large flat one made from stone. The pestle fits easily in your hand. It’s short and stubby in comparison to the mortar and pestles I’m used to using.
It’s so the flavours of the ingredients combine into a paste. This happens from pushing and pulling motion, rather than a pounding motion in the common mortar and pestles.
The type of mortar and pestle that I know is also used. Mainly for any seeds and harder ingredients used in the recipes, such as cloves, star anise, galangal and lemongrass.
Once the spices are ready, it’s time to cook. This recipe begins with sautéing the spices until fragrant. Freshly grounded coconut milk (from the markets) is poured into the dish and brought to the boil. Beef is then added and gently simmered for around an hour until tender.
A few other ingredients are added until the gravy reduces and dries as Rendang is a drier curry. You’ll have to attend one of Dewi’s classes to find out her secret ingredients.
Chicken Satay
In this Sanur cooking class, I was thrilled to see chicken satay on the menu as it’s one of my favourite foods in Bali. Dewi’s recipe is the best I’ve tasted. It was delicious! Although satay’s from the Night Market are also good.
The chicken (also bought at the markets) is marinated first, then the peanuts are pounded for the sauce.
Throughout making all of the dishes, you’ll be encouraged to chop, slice, grind and blend the ingredients. You’ll think you’ve got the hang of it and then Dewi takes over for the last little bit and you’ll see a pro in action.
Only to be expected I guess, Dewi has cooked this way for years. From a very early age in her Grandmothers kitchen.
The peanut sauce cooks whilst the chicken is skewered and grilled. Simply delicious and an easy dish you can definitely make at home for an authentic Balinese Chicken Satay.
Making Nasi Goreng
Fried noodles were swapped out for this dish. Again, I was pleased to learn how to cook an authentic Nasi. Who doesn’t like fried rice, right?
With Dewi’s secret but basic ingredients, we assembled and cooked Nasi Goreng. The biggest tip I learned from cooking this dish was, in the past, I haven’t fried the rice as long as needed.
The rice needs to be stirred and cooked for at least five minutes to dry out. This results in a delicious charred flavour.
Making Klepon
Klepon is Pandan glutinous rice balls with palm sugar. The pandan is used to extract the pale green and colour the balls.
The dessert commences by combining the flour a little water and pandan until a dough forms. I found the dough quite delicate to handle. If the consistency of the dough isn’t quite right it will be either too sticky or too rubbery.
Dewi shows you how to find out when the dough is just right. Then you can shape the dough into a disc, add the palm sugar and then pinch all the edges together to form a seal. Form/roll into a ball ready for cooking.
If the balls aren’t sealed correctly the sugar leaks out during the cooking process. They are cooked in boiling water and are fully cooked when they float to the top.
Once cooked they are rolled in freshly grated coconut. Allow to cool before you are tempted to sample one as the palm sugar is hot and will burn your mouth. Klepon is a delicious light sweet treat, perfect to finish off your cooking class experience.
Then to one of the best parts of cooking classes in Bali…eating the dishes. Learning to cook the dishes was one experience, eating them was something else. Next level flavours and simple recipes to follow with expert guidance. I couldn’t have wished for a better experience.
All too soon the Caraway Cooking Class finished, and it was time to return back to my accommodation. If you are looking to learn how to cook authentic Balinese and Indonesian dishes in a cooking class Bali, then Dewi’s Caraway Cooking Class is a must on your next visit to Bali.
Other Cooking Classes in Sanur Bali
Dewi has a broad range of classes including
- Indonesian Cooking Class
- Balinese Cooking Class
- Vegetarian Cooking Class
- Martabak Telor Cooking Class
- Martabak Manis Cooking Class
- Kids Cooking Class
For more information and to book your next Bali Cooking Class click here.
If you need a catering service with authentic Balinese food Dewi also provides a catering service here.
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Disclaimer: I was a guest at Caraway Cooking Class, however, the honest opinions I share in this post are my own.
