Indonesian Food Cooking Class on Gili Trawangan

1 min read
by Marlin
November 26, 2023

I found two cooking classes on Gili Trawangan, namely Sweet & Spicy and Gili Cooking Class. They've got pretty similar menus, but the real difference is in how their kitchens are set up.

Their menus:

# Menu S&S GCC
1 Kelopon
2 Fried tempeh with peanut sauce
3 Fried noodles
4 Yellow chicken curry
5 Chicken Taliwang
6 Gado gado
7 Pepes fish

First, I went to Sweet & Spicy 'cause it's closer. I asked to take pictures inside, but the lady said no, even when I told her I'm a journalist who could potentially benefit their business.

I ditched that spot and checked out Gili Cooking Class, and the guy there was really nice. I took some awesome pictures of their cool kitchen!

gili cooking class kitchen setup
Gili Cooking Class kitchen setup
gili cooking class kitchen setup
A better angle
gili cooking class kitchen setup
Kitchen is right next to the street
gili cooking class brochure
Brochure
gili cooking class menu
Menu

Price & duration:

  • Sweet & Spicy: Fixed at IDR 450,000 for 2 hours
  • Gili Cooking Class: Starts at IDR 350,000 for 1.5 hours

Gili Cooking Class comes with a different pricing structure within three packages. Here is the complete breakdown.

  • Intro: IDR 350,000 for 1.5 hours
  • 4 of a kind: IDR 400,000 for 2 hours
  • Super six: IDR 450,000 for 2.5 hours

Each package menu:

# Menu Intro 4 of a kind Super six
1 Kelopon
2 Fried tempeh with peanut sauce
3 Fried noodles
4 Yellow chicken curry
5 Chicken Taliwang
6 Gado gado

So, which one are you going to attend? I recommend the Gili Cooking Class for the best experience 👇🏻

Since you might pick where to go based on their menus, let's check out what they actually look like.

1

Kelopon

green balls indonesian desert called kelopon
Kelopon
Complexity
Easy
Cooking
25 minutes

It's a traditional dessert in Bali and many places in Indonesia, made mostly with rice flour and coconut. Inside, you'll find palm sugar that melts in your mouth as you chew.

The green color typically comes from pandan leaf extract, enhancing its delicious aroma. However, some people use a safe chemical liquid to achieve the green hue.

You can usually find it at traditional markets and on the streets in the morning, sold for around IDR 10,000.

I personally enjoy it for breakfast!

This menu is featured in Sweet & Spicy and Gili Cooking Class.


2

Fried tempeh with peanut sauce

fried tempeh
Fried tempeh with peanut sauce
Complexity
Easy
Cooking
15 minutes

Tempeh is like the Bali budget superhero side dish – super cheap and everyone can afford it. It's made with a complex fermentation of soya beans.

But you're not diving into a crazy soybean fermentation project. You basically just toss it in a pan and fry it up for 3 minutes.

Now, the real magic happens with the peanut sauce. I was a bit shocked when I found out fried tempeh teams up with peanut sauce because that's not the usual Bali combo.

Usually, it's rolling with some spicy tomato sambal.

This menu is featured in Sweet & Spicy and Gili Cooking Class.


3

Fried noodles

fried noodles
Fried noodles
Complexity
Easy
Cooking
20 minutes

Bet you've tried making noodles before, but fried noodles? It's pretty much the same deal, they just slap on the 'fried' tag in Bali.

It might not scream 'Balinese food' if you're used to frying up noodles every week back home, but trust me, this one's a winner in the taste department.

Everything just tastes better in Bali.

This menu is featured in Sweet & Spicy and Gili Cooking Class.


4

Yellow chicken curry

yellow chicken curry
Yellow chicken curry
Complexity
Medium
Cooking
25 minutes

You might not find yourself whipping up that typical Western chicken curry anymore after picking up the art of making it Bali-style.

It's so darn tasty, your family will be begging for more! Here in Bali, they call it Opor Ayam, and it's one of my favorites.

There's a whole range of ways to cook chicken in Bali, and this is a fantastic starting point before you dive into all the other variations.

Out of all the dishes on the menu, I've got to say, this one stands out as the best.

This menu is featured in Gili Cooking Class.


5

Chicken Taliwang

chicken taliwang
Not the typical chicken taliwang
Complexity
Easy
Cooking
25 minutes

Now, this is a bit different from the traditional chicken taliwang that I'm familiar with.

The authentic version is roasted and coated with a special sambal, sometimes even with a touch of honey.

This one is more like the Bali version of butter chicken from India.

This menu is featured in Sweet & Spicy and Gili Cooking Class.


6

Gado gado

gado gado
Gado gado
Complexity
Easy
Cooking
15 minutes

Gado Gado is like a big veggie salad, but instead of your usual vinaigrette, they pour this amazing peanut sauce all over it.

That's the secret ingredient that makes it a hit in Bali.

It's a mix of both boiled and raw veggies, with the raw ones dominating.

This menu is featured in Sweet & Spicy and Gili Cooking Class.


7

Pepes fish

pepes fish
Pepes fish
Complexity
Medium
Cooking
25 minutes

This dish is a bit complex to prepare. Instead of frying the fish, you'll be steaming it with all the necessary seasonings.

If you're into healthy eating without much oil, this might become your go-to favorite – just as delicious as the fried versions!

Most of your time will go into preparing the seasonings rather than the actual cooking. Make sure to rub all those flavorful seasonings into the inside of the fish to get the best taste out of it!

This menu is featured in Sweet & Spicy.

author
AUTHOR
Marlin
kaleydo villas gili trawangan
Kaleydo Villas
Gili Trawangan
9.7
Gili Teak Beach Front Resort
Gili Teak Resort
Gili Trawangan
9.2
Senang Private Villa
Senang Private Villa
Gili Trawangan
9.2
Ponte Villas
Ponte Villas
Gili Trawangan
9.6
Gili Eco Villas
Gili Eco Villas
Gili Trawangan
9.0
Kuno Villas
Kuno Villas
Gili Trawangan
9.3
Pondok Santi Estate
Pondok Santi Estate
Gili Trawangan
9.4
Nero North Gili Trawangan
Nero North
Gili Trawangan
9.0
Villa Selamat
Villa Selamat
Gili Trawangan
9.3
small white cruise boat
Snorkeling cruise with Lunch
Gili Trawangan
5.0
small white cruise boat during the sunset
Snorkeling sunset and diner cruise
Gili Trawangan
5.0
gili islands view
Private tour hopping 3 Gili islands
Gili islands
5.0
underwater sclupture on gili islands
Private snorkeling trip on 3 Gili islands
Gili islands
5.0
golf course by the beach
Golfing by the beach at Kosaido Lombok
Lombok
5.0
person riding a horse by the beach in a sunny day
Horseback riding by the beach
Gili Trawangan
5.0
spicy indonesian sambal
Sweet and spicy cooking class
Gili Trawangan
4.5
traditional indonesian dishes
Authentic Indonesian food cooking class
Gili Trawangan
5.0
Did you know ?
Grabbing your seat ahead of time can seriously cut down your costs compared to last-minute bookings.
Find flights
illustration of a white and green
Get boat ticket
BaliGili islands
Find boats
Arrange your pick ups
Airport Hotel
boy crying
Wish I had travel insurance
Sorry, kid, but lesson learned.
Spend a few bucks to save thousands. Get your travel insurance today.
Save my wallet