Balinese Spice Magic, Wollongong + Traditional Corn Fritter Recipe

Prep time: 10min

Ingredients

2 fresh corn cobs

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of grated (or mashed) fresh turmeric (1 teaspoon for powdered turmeric)

2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander stems and roots

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon light soy sauce combined with one table spoon of sliced coconut sugar

2 tablespoons of cornflour

2 bullet chillies, finely chopped (optional)

3 tablespoons of oil for frying

Cook time: 20min

Equipment

Indonesia celebrated Independence Day last weekend, and marked its 69^th year since declaring independence from the Dutch.

Indonesia is an archipelago made up of around 17,000 islands, (try saying that three times quickly – archipelago, archipelago, archipelago!) including the island of Bali, located between Java and Lombok. But beyond its beautiful tropical beaches and cheap shopping, what is the real Bali about?

Balinese Spice Magic Restaurant is a little slice of Bali in Wollongong. Jules Mitry and her husband Will opened the restaurant in April this year, and since then have worked to deliver their version of Bali through their food and warm service. Jules came to Australia 13 years ago from Bali, bringing with her a love of traditional Balinese cooking and culture.

My first bite of Bali was hot – but didn’t burn like I thought it would. With so many flavours I didn’t know where to begin or end. I jumped from one to the next, even trying a prawn – something I usually stay away from. I particularly enjoyed the tempeh – a product similar to tofu made from soy beans. It was surprisingly substantial in texture, having an almost meat-like quality to it – apparently it is often mistaken for meat.

If you’re not on the carnivorous side, there is also the Vegan Magic combination platter ($23.00). Or for those looking for something familiar, there is the ever classic Nasi Goreng ($16.00) and Chicken Satay served with peanut sauce as an entrée ($8.90). After having just a taste of the variety of dishes, I am definitely keen to return and explore the menu further.

For a taste of Bali at home, you just have to try Jules’ Balinese corn fritters:

Instructions

Peel the husk from the corn and remove the corn and all the fine strands. Using a sharp knife, cut downwards along the length of the cobs to remove the kernels, discard the cob.
In a bowl, combine the corn, spring onions, coriander, garlic, chillies, corn flour, eggs, light soy sauce and coconut sugar mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Heat the oil in a heavy based frying pan over medium heat.
Drop in a tablespoon of the mixture and cook until the underside is golden. Turn the fritter and cook for a further 30 seconds or so.
Serve hot or warm with sweet chilli sauce or your other favourite dipping sauce.