Bali For The Soul

Journeying through Bali with Airbnb, Adila Matra not only delves into the little-known aspects of the local culture but also forms bonds with a diverse community of fellow explorers.

IMOP THE SWEAT on my forehead and continue chopping the chayote; from the corner of my eye, I can see my Airbnb mates Aiden and Maddie (a travel creator couple from North Queensland), Belinda (a travel writer from Australia), and about 20 others doing the same. Chop, pound, hiss, sizzle-I try to find a rhythm to this cooking orchestra. We, a group of journalists and content creators from around the world, are in Bali with Airbnb. First stop: Ubad Ubud (ubadubudbali.com), a traditional Balinese cooking class, hosted by a very sweet woman named Made, in her house in Tengkulak Village near Ubud.

The kitchen is open on three sides and is set in a traditional Balinese compound, next to the family temple and four to five other structures that function as meeting places and living chambers-in Bali, the house is not divided into rooms but structures according to their functions. The meandering stone pathways are populated with plants and flowers of diverse colours. Made is a jovial woman, she sometimes jokes about how spoiled Balinese men are, and at others sings Bollywood songs through her loudspeaker to keep us motivated.

There are around eight dishes on the menu for lunch-all of them are being cooked by us. Some of us give up due to the sweltering heat, the ceiling fans in Made's kitchen don't seem to be helping. I take a break to chug cold water and come back to the stove where I blanch cabbage and bean sprouts for gado gado-mix vegetables in peanut sauce.