Chinese Dishes

IN Bali, Chinese-Indonesian restaurants share many popular dishes in common, such Gurami Goreng Saus Asem Manis (deep-fried gurame, a type of freshwater fish, in sweet and sour ginger-tomato sauce), Kepiting Chingkong (deep-fried breaded crab claws with a sweet and sour dip), Udang Wotiap (fried shrimp wrapped in smoked ham), Ayam Nangking (a kind of chicken steak sautéed in real Dutch creamed butter).

One of the piece de resistance dishes was the Bebek Tim Masak Champignon (steamed whole duck in a thick gravy with champignon). The mushrooms had to be canned mushrooms, as proof that expensive imported mushrooms were used instead of the local straw variety. In an opinion, the real taste for a good Chinese restaurant was the acar (cucumber pickles).

If the pickles looked and tasted good (the right balance between sweet and sour), using real gherkins and not sliced cucumbers, then the main dishes invariably would taste good. Generous helpings of acar always preceded a proper meal. As youngsters we always devoured the acar while waiting for the main dishes to come, demanding several helpings since it was free anyway!

Chinese dishes, such as sweet and sour, Cap-cay (stir fried meat and vegetables) are also widely available, as is an abundance of fresh seafood, which is often kept alive in tanks until ready for cooking. Whether you long for original Chinese delicacies such as Hong Kong style Dim Sum, Smoked Duck from Szechuan or Scallops in Black Bean Sauce - you can get it in Bali.