Balinese flavors
Sate Lilit
Minced fish or pork mixed with grated coconut, kaffir lime, and bumbu Bali, wrapped around flat lemongrass skewers and grilled over charcoal. The wrapping keeps the meat moist while fragrant spices caramelise. Made for temple ceremonies, now found everywhere.
About this dish
While mainland Indonesian satay is skewered on thin bamboo sticks, Bali's version wraps minced meat around flat lemongrass stalks — a technique called lilit (to wrap, to encircle) that originated from the ceremonial context in which the dish was prepared. Temple festivals require vast quantities of satay, prepared communally by village men; lemongrass skewers are easier to harvest locally and in bulk than bamboo, and they perfume the meat from the inside as it cooks. The traditional version uses minced pork or fish (tuna in coastal villages), but the base ingredients — grated coconut, kaffir lime leaf, palm sugar, and bumbu Bali — remain constant. The coconut acts as a binder, keeping the loosely minced meat cohesive around the skewer while adding fat that bastes the meat from within. At Bali's larger temple ceremonies, it is common to see hundreds of sate lilit being grilled simultaneously over coconut husk charcoal, the aromatic smoke drifting across the temple compound.
Allergen information
Preparation methods may vary by restaurant. Always confirm with staff if you have severe allergies.
Where to try
Every traditional Balinese warung; night markets in Ubud and Canggu; temple ceremony feasts