Nasi Pedas Kuta Bali

Among Bali local tourists, there's this little hidden secret; if you wan't to eat something good and unique in Kuta, not to mention cheap, try the Nasi Pedas (Hot Rice).

Nasi Pedas is a fiery hot dish of rice and its variety side-dishes. In essence, Nasi Pedas is practically one of the common Balinese goodies known as Nasi Campur (mixed rice dish), but instead of consisting regular Balinese ingredients like Sate Ikan Laut or Ayam Betutu, they focuses on varieties of chicken cooking like the deep fried chicken skin, shredded chicken, chicken floss, and hard boiled egg in Balado style. The hotness is achieved through incorporating "cabai merah", the regular fresh red chili in the cooking; and also inclusion of "cabai rawit" or internationally known as the bird eye chili. While the red chili gives the warm sensation, it is usually the bird eye chili that pack the punch.

On the Scoville scale, bird eye chili measured to have about 50.000 to 100.000 scoville units, and once was listed in Guiness Book of World Records as the hottest chili in the world. Even though the record now is held by Indian Bhut Jolokia, it doesn't loose its potential.

But fear not, as the regular side dishes usually contains only a low to medium heat; comparably weak to local standards, especially those that are dried and don't have the chili eyes; the warm sensation will adds to your appetite instead. The serious pack will comes from the stand-alone sambal, which usually are designed to meet those crazy sharp pungent fetish standard. Now that will gave you a brushed wound sensation, not to mention upset stomach for those who are not familiar to "real" Indonesian food. Watch out for those sambals.

Without the sambal, the dish is suitable for general audience, though you got to have some liking for the hotness.


Places Option

Considered famous among the Nasi Pedas fans, are the Nasi Pedas Bu Andika stall, that located in Jl. Raya Kuta. Now lets not get confused here, as Jl. Raya Kuta is not near the Kuta beaches. It's a road parallel to the beach road, about two blocks away to the east, that stretches North to South and filled with eateries and shops, including the famous Joger shirt store; this is the place to hunt for local foods. Nasi Pedas Bu Andika located not far across from this Joger shop, just ask around and you wont miss it.

Another worth mentioning option, is the Nasi Pedas Bu Anik, located north most of the Jl. Raya Kuta, just befor the Pasar Kuta (Kuta traditional market).

Though smaller in place, the cooking is considerably better here, with considerably cheaper price also. A set of Nasi Pedas here will cost you about 10K, while at Bu Andika, around 15K or more to have the similar choices of variety included.

You may find both of the locations here at the Indonesia Food Map: http://tinyurl.com/petamakanbali

What's also a champion from Nasi Pedas Bu Anik is their kulit ayam goreng, or the deep fried chicken skin; it is crispy, crunchy and melt in your mouth kind, with just mild chicken aroma, unlike others that usually is thick, hard, and has no significant flavor or instead has strong unpleasant odor.

When you're eating in diverse group, then around Nasi Pedas Bu Andika there are little variety of food to choose from, but around Nasi Pedas Bu Anik there are several "warung" (roadside food stalls) available to choose from. But set your timing accordingly, as Bu Andika opens 24 hours, while Bu Anik opens only at night. Selamat menikmati! (bon appetite!) (bay)