Experience the Real of Bali in Rumah Desa Balinese Home & Cooking Studio

by : Gendhis

TABANAN – baliprawara.com

Bali may be the holiday destination but behind the scene of it don’t you curious about Balinese daily life?  

Rumah Desa Balinese Home & Cooking Studio offers an experience the real of Bali by staying in one of its homestays. By overnight stay, you will participate in their daily life.

When you start entering the main gate of Rumah Desa Balinese Home & Cooking Studio, you will be invited to take a tour around Balinese traditional house or well known with its family compound, is inhabited by a large family consisting of more than 3 families with their distinctive characteristics, namely Bale Dangin, built on the east side. This room was built with an open concept covered by a roof and a curtain which is filled with 2 beds, a bed that functions as a bed used by the oldest family, while the bed next to it is filled with ceremonial equipment from birth, adolescence, marriage, to the death of a family member. Bale Daje is a residence inhabited by other families. Sanggah or family temple is built next to it where all families can stay for prayer. Whilst, in the south, a kitchen was built which can also be used by all families. The empty yard has always been a characteristic of Balinese traditional houses in the middle of the family compound, especially in Baturiti, Tabanan. Because the area is agricultural, so a jineng/ barn house was built to store the harvested rice. It built 2 levels, for storing rice itself at the top, while at the bottom it can be used as a living room to welcome guests or as a family gathering. The concept of an open Balinese traditional house is because the humidity is quite high and it is also in the ring of fire. Therefore, if an earthquake occurs due to volcanic eruption, residents will easily escape from the house.   

Whilst, in the family compound, the visitors will see the daily activities of its resident. Like a gramps that is sitting relaxed while watching the running around chicken while the grandma is busy grinding the traditional scrub made from rice, cloves, ginger, galangal, and turmeric which is useful to relieving headache by rubbing it on the forehead and behind the lower ear. Moreover, to get rid of fatigue, the mashed scrub can be rubbed on the calves.

Before continuing the tour, the visitors will be treated by a welcome drink of rosella tea mixed with Balinese spices. It’s fresh and a bit sour because the rosella flower itself has a sour taste. But it can quench you after the family compound tour.

The house also introduces Balinese scriptwriting which is written or more precisely carved on palm leaves. The writing processes itself use a small knife that is carved on the palm leaves. Meanwhile, to make the writing bold, the local people use burnt candlenuts thus the writing can be read more clearly. Whilst, you will also be given a souvenir  in the form of an engraved of your name on a palm leaf which is added with flat money as a pendant so that it can be used as a necklace that you can wear afterward.

Whilst, you can enjoy  their hospitality with the dishes served in the rijsttafel style before continuing the tour. The dish served in the rijsttafel consists of rice with several condiments such as braised pork in sweet soy sauce, chicken tum (spice chicken wrapped in banana leaf), chicken satay, corn bakwan, basa genap eggplant (eggplant cooked in Balinese herbs), sautéed ginseng leaves, sambal torch ginger, and chicken betutu (Steamed chicken cooked in Balinese herbs). The menu will indulge your palate. Besides being able to enjoy delectable food, you also have the opportunity to get the recipe through the cooking class program that can be done by booking in advance.  

“We also have our recipe to prevent viruses that will attack the body’s immune system. By using traditional methods that are believed from generation to generation. It is called Asepan or traditional incense. Whereas we use it long before the discovery of incense. And the ingredients used include tobacco, eucalyptus sticks, incense flowers, and added with the flavor incense. The ingredients are burned and the smoke is what we believe to be a natural disinfectant. This is one of the local wisdom that we must keep. Apart from being natural disinfection, the Asepan can also be used for ceremonies but the ingredients that are burned will be different. ” Said Wayan Sudiantara, the owner of Rumah Desa  Balinese Home & Cooking Studio.

Furthermore, adventure packages are also provided by the house. Such as cycling around the village, getting to know the traditional irrigation system, planting rice, trekking in the rice fields, and learn how to make coconut oil.

The coconut oil is homemade, done by the retired parents as a substitute for their daily activities. It requires about 5 coconuts for 660 ml. The process begins with the traditional peeling of the coconut using a coconut trunk that has been sharpened and stuck into the larger coconut trunk so that it stands upright and is ready to peel the coconut. Then the meat is taken, grated, and mixed with boiled water then squeezed over the prepared container. Then let stand for 24 hours at room temperature. This process will separate the oil and water. When the water and oil have separated, they can be filtered to take only the oil which can be used for cooking.

Trekking in the rice field is one of the fun activities that can be done here. On the trekking path itself, you will easily find coffee trees. According to I Made Mendra Astawa, the Chairman of the Bali Province Tourism Village Communication Forum, he explained, “The coffee tree is Robusta that is cultivated by the local community. Where the coffee beans are a favorite for civet animals which automatically become their food ingredients and the civet’s dung will be processed into civet coffee and then marketed,”said Mendra.

Moreover, the house also provides yoga and meditation classes. Whilst, if you want to hold a wedding with Balinese customs, birthdays, gatherings, and other outdoor events, Rumah Desa Balinese Home & Cooking Studio is recommended. (MBP14)