Indonesia, February 9, 1998
Rice, Rice, Everywhere!
Balinese grow rice better than anyone else on the planet!
Rice
is the staple crop of Bali. A thousand years ago the knowledge of
how to farm rice in standing water came to Indonesia and Bali has gown
it that way ever since. The rice paddies are everywhere, producing
a surplus of rice for the two million Balinese.
An empty lot? Throw some rice on it!
The unique mixture of rich volcanic soil, slowly flowing water, wildlife, and organic fertilizer, allows the farmers to have a continuous crop in the patties, without the fallow time needed with other crops. On Bali there are two types of rice, six month rice and three month rice. The six month rice is better, but it takes twice as long to grow, and the price may not be twice as much as the three month rice. I saw both types, in all stages of growth.
With rice as a base for all of their foods, the Balinese got funky
with the accompaniment. They catch some of the wildlife that lives
off the rice paddies, fish in particular, and cook them in strange
sauces.
The food is very spicy, though not so much in the tourist
restaurants. The best places for good, spicy foods were the kiosks
on back streets. There you would be presented with two shelves of
sauces to add to your scoop f rice, all for about $0.50.
This is the choice I had in Jakarta, the capital city on the island of Java. Note the fish heads in different colors of sauces. Interesting eats!