Satay
Another delicacy that is central to Indonesian culinary culture is satay, also spelt as sate. This is popular not only in Bali, but also across Indonesia and the entirety of Southeast Asia and has many parallels in other nations, such as Turkish shish kebab or South African sosatie.
Despite its widespread popularity, its origins lie in Indonesia and therefore the most authentic version of the dish can be found there.
Satay consists of skewers of meat flavoured with spices, grilled or barbecued and then served with a number of accompaniments. The skewers themselves are usually made from the midrib of the coconut palm frond or from bamboo and the meat that is placed on them varies widely, although chicken, pork and mutton are among the most common. The accompaniments for satay skewers include spicy peanut sauce, as well as rice cakes or mixed slivers of cucumber and onion.
Satay is such a versatile and popular dish that there are many travelling vendors who sell it almost exclusively. In addition, it can be found at street-side restaurant tents, as well as in high-class eateries. It is also often present at major celebrations and festivals, with the skewer design making it easy to eat on the go.