With bold, bright flavours, vibrant hues and names as exotic as their origins, Indonesian food brings together a plethora of herbs, spices and mixes and is a celebrated cuisine world-over. Visiting Chef Made Kanyasa from The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, was in the city recently at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, to bring a plethora of Indonesian dishes closer to home.
Apart from putting out a variety of Indonesian favourites to the Bengaluru palate, the chef also conducted cooking classes on Balinese, Indonesian and Javanese cuisines.
On his first visit to India, the experienced chef says his stay has been full of discoveries every day. “I didn’t know what to expect when I came. But, now that I’m here, I feel at home.
The culture and the busy atmosphere – they all remind me of my home in Indonesia. Although there is a little difference, there are so many similarities.” He adds that just like India, the cuisine changes every few kilometres in Indonesia given that it comprises over 13,000 islands.
BENGALURU - KARNATAKA - 23/02/2018 : Indonesian chef Made Karyasa, from The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, in Bengaluru on February 23, 2018. Photo: K. Murali Kumar
He continues: “When it comes to Indian food, there are so many similarities with Indonesia. We don’t have any appetisers, but the style of cooking is similar. In Bali, for example, we use the hand to eat in our local community. It’s easier and since our staple food is rice with vegetables, meat and sambar – we mix it together and eat it with our hand – just like in India. Our cuisines do not require that much cutlery.”
Commenting on his encounters with South Indian dishes, Made says: “I’ve tried the dosa. It’s very nice, crunchy and blends well with the flavourful potato, chutney and sambar. I also love the sweet lassi here.”
Elaborating on his promotions in Bengaluru, Made says he’s showcasing three signature cuisines here. “I’m covering the entire expanse of the Indonesian nation as a whole in one session, apart from the distinct flavours and cooking styles of Bali and Java. The focus, of course, is the ingredients.”
He explains the five key elements of Indonesian cuisine: “Sweet, sour, bitter, salt and spice – these are the highlights of the dishes I’ve covered. Different regions have different ways to express these key styles. In Bali there is focus on balancing of flavours, whereas in Sumatra, the focus is on spicy food with lots of coconut and in Java, the contrast is with a lot of sugar blended with coconut.”
BENGALURU - KARNATAKA - 23/02/2018 : Botok Udang (Prawn, Lemongrass in Banana leaf), by Indonesian chef Made Karyasa, from The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, in Bengaluru on February 23, 2018. Photo: K. Murali Kumar
Hailing from a scenic village in Bali called Kintamani, Made recalls a simple lifestyle of growing up at home with the panoramic Mount Batur in the background. “My earliest memory of cooking was grating coconuts for my mother before leaving for school. She used to sell traditional Balinese pancakes and is my inspiration. Her spicy sambal (chilli paste) is a must-have every time I visit home.” On his culinary journey, Made recalls that “the first time I was in a kitchen I didn’t want to work there,” and laughs.
“I’m not from a culinary school or a big company. I was 15 when I started work in a small restaurant in Ubud, a half hour’s drive from Kintamani. I donned many roles there – from service and doing the dishes to butchering and grilling. One thing led to another and I kept honing my skills wherever my food took me. In the kitchen,
I learnt how to work under pressure and focus. Soon, every day became an adventure. I even forget my family when I’m in the kitchen. Cooking means the world to me.” The 40-year-old now works in Bejana, the Indonesian restaurant at The Ritz Carlton, Bali, where he dishes out everything from fusion to Indonesian signatures.
BENGALURU - KARNATAKA - 23/02/2018 : Sayur Urap (vegetables with grated fresh coconut), by Indonesian chef Made Karyasa, from The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, in Bengaluru on February 23, 2018. Photo: K. Murali Kumar
His signature style of cooking includes playing with colours and flavours. Showcasing some of his popular dishes, such as the otak otak (fish meat, wrapped in banana leaf), anyang (heart banana, bean sprout and grated coconut), bebek goreng sambal matah (deep-fried crispy duck with lemongrass shallot salsa), and others, the chef demonstrated how to blend flavours of spices and herbs in traditional Indonesian style. “Although, I love experimenting, nothing beats a good pork dish for me. I love my suckling pig and that’s my specialty.”
Made adds: “I try to cook out of the box every once a while and work with the ingredients I have – especially in promotions.” In his journey with food, Made points out that he will continue to promote Indonesian cuisine wherever he goes. “It’s complex with textures and balance. I want to explore it and promote it.”
BENGALURU - KARNATAKA - 23/02/2018 : Ikan Laut Sambal Tomat (Seafood with Spicy Sambal Tomato), by Indonesian chef Made Karyasa, from The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, in Bengaluru on February 23, 2018. Photo: K. Murali Kumar
On a parting note, he encourages aspiring and upcoming chefs who want to be successful in the culinary field to be “disciplined and committed to your work. Love your job. Do not ever compromise on quality and teach the same to everyone you meet.”
