Entree: Indonesia – Bali – Lawar (Balinese mixed vegetable and minced pork dish tossed with toasted grated coconut and aromatic spice paste)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 35 min

Cook 12 min

Additional 15 min

Total 1 hr 2 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) ground pork
- 1 cup (80 g) freshly grated young coconut, lightly toasted
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 6 shallots, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 bird’s eye chilies, or to taste, stemmed
- 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh turmeric, grated (or 1 tsp / 5 g ground turmeric)
- 1 tsp (5 g) toasted shrimp paste (terasi), or substitute 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 cup (150 g) long beans, finely chopped (yardlong or green beans)
- 1/4 cup (15 g) kemangi or lemon basil leaves, loosely packed
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
- 1 tsp (5 g) coarse salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) fresh pork blood for an authentic binding variant

Instructions

1. Toast the grated young coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and aromatic, 3–5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
2. Pound or blend the shallots, garlic, chilies, turmeric, and shrimp paste into a coarse spice paste (bumbu).
3. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the spice paste until fragrant, about 3–4 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
4. Add the ground pork to the pan and cook, breaking it up, until just cooked through but still moist, about 6–8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and palm sugar; remove from heat and let cool slightly.
5. In a large bowl combine the cooked spiced pork, chopped long beans, toasted grated coconut, shredded kaffir lime leaves, kemangi leaves, and lime juice. If using, add pork blood now and mix thoroughly to bind and color.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lime juice if needed. Lawar is traditionally served at room temperature; allow to rest 10–15 minutes before serving.
7. Transfer to a serving dish and serve alongside steamed rice and other Balinese dishes.