0 Mujair fish ala Pasar Senggol Bangli

The massive fire last September in Kidul market in downtown Bangli failed to discourage the living spirit of hundreds of vendors who brought the traditional market to life. These enterprising vendors now seek their livelihood in Pasar Senggol Bangli, located near Bangli’s town square. A pasar senggol is usually a night market crowded with traders offering various goods from makeshift stalls sheltered from the elements by tarpaulins, with narrow alleys that force visitors to bump into and elbow each other, hence the name senggol, which in Indonesian means to elbow. 

The food vendors, selling various dishes made of mujair (blue bream, a chromis native to southern Africa), the specialty of Bangli, are now opening their stalls in this traditional night market. One of these tenacious food vendors runs Warung Ibu Jero Pitri, which apparently has grown into one of the most visited food stalls at Pasar Senggol Bangli. The food stall, selling various traditional Bangli dishes made of mujair, which is cultivated in Lake Batur, one of Bali’s most scenic lakes, located close to the Batur caldera, which is now a UNESCO geopark. “We don’t know when Pasar Kidul will be renovated. 

We can’t wait too long,” said Jero Pitri, who runs her food stall with her husband. The couple cook and serve customers from 4 p.m., when the night market begins its daily activities. The various dishes include pepes, a steamed seasoned shredded mujair dish and fried mujair ala Bangli. The latter was called ala Bangli because it is fried only after being marinated in a thick broth of spices, which results in the tender texture and tasty flavor of the fish. Jero, the warung’s owner, also offers other traditional dishes, such sayur serombotan, a kind of vegetable salad spiced with coconut and seasoning, ayam betutu and grilled chicken. 

Meanwhile, two variants of rice are also available: nasi putih (white rice) and nasi sela, or steamed white rice mixed with sweet potato. Not only main dishes, but various snacks like fried banana, fried tofu and fried tempeh are also sold in the market. Just like a typical market, the pasar senggol in Bangli is also a hub for other vendors selling pirated music CDs and DVD movies. As though living up to its name as “the bumpy market”, when sightseeing in such a market, be prepared to bump into other visitors, because usually the market is very crowded. 

This kind of pasar senggol is not only present in Bangli, but also in other regencies in Bali. Such a place is recommended if you are looking for local eateries or hoping to soak up the atmosphere with local entertainment. Each pasar senggol will surely feature the local traditional cuisine, just like in Bangli with its variety of mujair dishes, and the pasar senggol in Gianyar, which is famous for its roasted suckling pig.

source : bali daily