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Lawar
Lawar
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The recipe
Lawar is the signature side dish of Bali — a mixture of finely minced meat (pork, duck, or chicken), grated coconut, Balinese spices, and fresh vegetables, all bound together with *lawar base* (a spiced coconut cream). The dish is a Balinese institution — served at ceremonies, family gatherings, and restaurants, and varies from village to village. The defining feature: the meat is uncooked (in *lawar merah* and *lawar putih* versions) or very lightly cooked, and the grated coconut is fresh. The flavor is complex, savory, slightly spicy, and uniquely Balinese.
Ingredients
Method
💡 Tips from the kitchen
- ·Use fresh grated coconut — the pre-packaged sweet kind doesn't work.
- ·Kemangi (lemon basil) is essential. Don't substitute with sweet basil.
- ·Bambu leaves add a unique herbal flavor. If unavailable, use young jackfruit leaves or skip.
📖
The story
Lawar is the signature side dish of Bali — a mixture of finely minced meat (pork, duck, or chicken), grated coconut, Balinese spices, and fresh vegetables, all bound together with *lawar base* (a spiced coconut cream). The dish is a Balinese institution — served at ceremonies, family gatherings, and restaurants, and varies from village to village. The defining feature: the meat is uncooked (in *lawar merah* and *lawar putih* versions) or very lightly cooked, and the grated coconut is fresh. The flavor is complex, savory, slightly spicy, and uniquely Balinese.
Did you know?
🇮🇩 Indonesia has 17,000+ islands — only 6,000 are inhabited.
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