A Cooking Class In Ubud | Yes, You Really Should!

When visiting Bali, especially Ubud, Bali, I recommend signing up for a a Balinese cooking class. It’s so fun to visit the market, buy the colorful, unusual items, displayed in their charming traditional baskets, and learn how to turn them into dreamy, delicious dishes! Making the class even better, our kitchen was an open-air kitchen nestled in the lush, green rice fields of Bali! A true delight to all the senses.

Cooking Class In Ubud: Ubud Market

We started our cooking class early at Ubud Market, the traditional marketplace where locals buy their daily foods. You can find local fruits and vegetables as well as Balinese delicacies from Ubud and nearby villages.

Try to get there before 8 or 9 AM, when the market goods focus more on local produce. After this, it focuses mainly on tourist items. I love foreign food markets and this one is definitely one not to miss.

The local Balinese are so charming, they let us try a variety of local fruits, like the red delicious and nutritious rambutan (below). Don’t miss these if you see them!

Cooking Class In Ubud: Open-Air Kitchen In Rice Field

After getting all our ingredients, we drove to our classroom, which was in an open-air kitchen in the rice fields of Ubud. So serene and so beautiful! The beautiful surroundings made the class even better.

Cooking Class In Ubud: Making The Pastes

We finely diced up the ingredients for the paste to use as a base for most of the dishes, grinding it smooth with the Indonesian stone pestle and mortar. I think it was basalt stone.

We used ginger, garlic, scallions, chilies, lemongrass, and more.

There was also a tuna dish that was grilled on the end of bamboo sticks. One of our instructors ground the paste for that in a large stone bowl.

Making The Dishes

He formed the paste at the end of bamboo sticks and roasted them on the grill to make the delicious dish below.

And then wrapped some in banana leaves for the dish below.

They showed us step by step how to make dishes with complex flavors with the fresh ingredients.

Like this one, where we sautéed our paste with some tofu, long beans, carrots, coconut milk and curry spices.

We ended up assembling 7 amazing dishes which we all got to enjoy in the middle of the rice field, with, of course, plenty of fresh Balinese rice.

At the end, we were given copies of the recipes and driven back to town…with very happy bellies!

To see a selection of cooking classes in Ubud, click this kink at Trip Advisor, or ask at your homestay or hotel.

Want To Learn More About Bali?

Ubud, Bali’s capital of arts, dance, and spirituality is a fascinating place to visit. From treasured, ancient temples, to traditional dance performances, galleries and museums showcasing local art, yoga centers, spas, and much more, Ubud is the perfect place to reinvigorate the body and soul. Learn the highlights in Best Things To Do In Ubud: Top Sites And Sacred Places.

Find out how to slip into the lush, green rice fields of Ubud to learn more about Balinese culture and their life-blood crop, rice, in my post Top 4 Ubud Rice Fields Walks. To see more Instragram-worthy, although more commercialized rice fields, see my post on the Tegallalang Rice Terraces. You can also to learn about my traditional homestay in Ubud, and what I learned about the Balinese.

I was also invited to a Cremation Ceremony. A fascinating experience where the soul is released for rebirth.

To see some of Bali’s more exotic beaches, visit Uluwatu on Bali’s southwestern coast. There are several amazing beaches here located at the base of tropical clifftops, many known for their surfing. But there are also many rooms with amazing views overlooking the Indian Ocean here, as well as great yoga and more delicious food choices.

If you’re looking for something a little less touristy in Bali, visit some of the smaller, more cultural villages, like the Villages of Munduk and Lovina. In addition to more authentic local culture, you can also explore and find a variety of stunning waterfalls and temples and more.

For an overview of all highlights of Bali, as well as logistics like safety, scams, money matters, and more, see my Ultimate Bali Travel Guide.