Bali is definitely heaven for any pork lover. Babi uling or Roasted Suckling Pig sees a whole pig rubbed down and stuffed with bumbu bali or a mixture of chopped Balinese spices including shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, galangal, pepper coriander, candlenuts, chilies, and lemongrass before being roasted over an open fire for up to 5 hours. The pig is continuously turned slowly to ensure even cooking so that the meat ends up tender and juicy. And our usual babi guling place in Bali is Ibu Oka’s in Ubud. I have never failed to go there if I’m in the area as it’s rated best in Bali, based on word-of-mouth reviews. Even the locals flock there to get their hands on some porky goodness. in fact, when asked, most of the balinese folks will mention Ibu Oka as being the best available.
A portion of Nasi Babi Guling Special consists of steaming hot rice, with a huge chunk of tender, succulent, melt in your mouth pork, along with its crunchy skin with other accompanying side dishes on a wax paper lined wicker basket. The flesh is so tender that it can be pulled from the bone and made all the more tasty and flavourful by the secret blend of Balinese spices. The other side dishes of long beans cooked with Balinese spices and coconut, blood sausages, crispy pork cracklings, and s
ome other unidentifiable bits (which has since been verified by the waiter to be a mixture of minced pork, spices and flour which is deep fried to a crisp). Yup, it does sound like something off Fear Factor, esp. the blood sausages, but mix it all up, and you’ll be rewarded with something truly delectable. I have brought friends who didn’t take to it immediately but started lusting for it a mere hour later. Lol. Even staring at this picture (which was taken during my first trip there) gets me salivating. Definitely one of the best meals in Bali.
