Get set for this weekend’s Chilli Fest starring Desak – and WATCH our Chilli Challenge video
Wish you could recreate the flavours of Bali at home? This Balinese chef has made it simple – and she’s using South Australian ingredients.
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Desak Yoni knows how to spice up your life.
The Balinese chef has bottled her favourite flavours from home using local ingredients – she’s called it “Bali in a Jar”.
“The big difference from my curry paste in comparison to an Indian or Thai bottled sauce you find out there is that mine is made from fresh ingredients, not powder,” says Desak from Ubud.
Desak, who moved to Australia in the 1990s, ran and cooked at a successful Balinese restaurant in Newcastle for six years before moving back to Bali to experiment with her own curry pastes.
Now in her new home of Adelaide, she uses Virginia-grown long and bird’s eye chillies when they’re in season, and sources them from Darwin during cooler months.
Other aromatics such as turmeric, ginger, galangal and fresh kaffir lime leaves not only boost the flavour profile but are also what’s referred to in Balinese as “base genep”, or “complete spice”, renowned for their healing properties.
“The word ‘Ubud’ comes from ‘ubad’, meaning medicine,” Desak says.
“We have been using herbs and spices for healing, detox and maintaining our general wellbeing for many years.”
Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, ginger and galangal is used to soothe coughs and lemongrass tea for anxiety, she says.
Desak will demonstrate how to use her pastes during live cooking shows at this weekend’s Willunga Chilli Fest.
“I’m thinking of cooking nasi goreng on the Saturday, and on Sunday maybe curry or satays,” she says.
The Willunga Chilli Fest, Feb 8-9 from 10am, 7 Main Rd, Willunga, entry $5; free for kids under 16.