Lawar — Ritual Food and the Meaning of Lawar Putih

Lawar — the core dish of Balinese ritual food. A salad of cabai, finely chopped vegetables, coconut, and meat. A standard side in Nasi Campur — but real Lawar is made jointly by family and Banjar at major rites (Galungan, Ngaben, weddings). Lawar Putih (white Lawar — vegetarian) is for Pedanda rituals; Lawar Merah (red Lawar — with fresh blood) is for Bhuta Kala offerings. The dining-table practice of Rwa Bineda (2.4.2 — light-dark balance).

A. Definition and Composition of Lawar

Lawar = Balinese for finely chopped salad.

Base ingredients:

• Grated coconut (Kelapa Parut) — shredded or ground
• Long beans (Kacang Panjang) — finely cut
• Vegetables — Bayam (spinach), Daun Singkong (cassava leaf)
• Meat — pork, chicken, duck, turtle (rare)
• Spices (Basa Genep) — garlic, shallot, turmeric, galangal, chili, ginger, etc.

Spices — Basa Genep:

• Core seasoning of Balinese cuisine
• Blend of 11–15 spices
• Sold wholesale at Pasar Babi (pork market)
• Household-secret ratios

Production process:

1. Prepare ingredients — chop coconut, vegetables, meat finely
2. Make Basa Genep — grind, sauté spices
3. Mix Lawar — all ingredients + Basa Genep + lime juice
4. Finish — extra spice, salt
5. Short shelf life — consume within 2–4 hours

Sources: Lawar · Hobart M., The Art and Culture of Bali (1995)

B. The Kinds of Lawar

1. Lawar Putih (white Lawar) — vegetarian, ritual

• No meat — coconut, vegetables
• For Pedanda rites
• Banten Suci (purification offering, 3.4.2)
• Brahmana rituals

2. Lawar Merah (red Lawar) — fresh blood

• Fresh pork / chicken blood added
• Bhuta Kala offering (Mecaru)
• Tabuh Rah (ritual blood offering)
• Tilem, Tawur Kesanga
• The dark side of Rwa Bineda

3. Lawar Kuwir (duck)

• Uses duck (Bebek)
• Common in Tabanan, western Bali
• Family rite after Tumpek Kandang (3.5.3)

4. Lawar Belut (eel)

• Uses Tabanan paddy-field eels
• Harvest rituals
• Eastern Bali specialty

5. Lawar Penyu (turtle) — rare, banned

• Traditional — large Banten ritual
• Modern — banned for turtle protection
• Synthetic (beef / pork) substitutes

6. Lawar Babi (pork — common)

• Standard at Babi Guling restaurants
• Common Nasi Campur side
• Foreigner market

7. Lawar Ayam (chicken)

• Muslim / foreigner friendly
• Featured in some restaurants

8. Lawar Sayur (vegetarian)

• Everyday version of Lawar Putih
• Common in Ubud and foreigner restaurants

Sources: Bali Post — Lawar varieties series · Tempo — Balinese food culture

C. Lawar in Ritual — Megibung and Offering

Making ritual Lawar:

• Before Galungan, Kuningan, weddings, Ngaben
• Joint work of Banjar men (traditional)
• Multiple days — starting at dawn
• Large knives, cutting boards, stone grinders
• Tens of kg at a time

Megibung (mentioned in 6.1.1):

• Karangasem ritual meal
• Lawar + rice + other sides on one plate
• 5–12 people share one plate
• After weddings, Ngaben

Offering ritual:

• Lawar included in Banten
• Small bowls on Padmasana / Sanggah
• For Bhuta Kala — Lawar Merah
• For Dewa — Lawar Putih

Quantity in big rites:

• Ngaben — Lawar for 100–500 people
• Wedding — 200–1,000 people
• Galungan household — family + relatives
• Banten offerings — additional

Gender division:

• Men — slaughter, fine chopping, spice grinding, Lawar mixing
• Women — making Banten, canang sari
• Traditional division — wavering today

Sources: Reuter T., Custodians of the Sacred Mountains (2002) · Bali Post — Megibung coverage

D. Spiritual Meaning of Lawar

Tabuh Rah — blood offering:

• Fresh pork / chicken blood
• Purification of Bhuta Kala
• Use of blood after Tajen (cockfighting)
• Permitted under Bali religious law (Awig-awig)
• Shocking from a foreigner's view

Food expression of Rwa Bineda:

• Lawar Putih = sacred / Dewa
• Lawar Merah = spirits / Bhuta Kala
• Both maintain cosmic balance
• Both made at one ritual

Karma and animals:

• Animal sacrifice → higher reincarnation
• Pedanda's mantra of soul release
• No Buddhist vegetarianism
• Bali Hindu allows ritual meat

Modern shifts:

• Animal-protection movement
• Lawar Penyu (turtle) banned
• Tajen / Tabuh Rah scaled back, partly prohibited
• Foreigner-consciousness influence

Together with Babi Guling:

• Standard Galungan / wedding meal — Babi Guling + Lawar
• One pig → Babi Guling + Lawar + Sate + Sup
• Whole-animal utilization

Sources: Eiseman F.B., Bali: Sekala and Niskala (1989) · Howe L., The Changing World of Bali (2005)

E. The Foreigner's View — Meeting Lawar

1. Where to encounter

• Warung Babi Guling — standard side
• Wedding / ritual invitation
• Megibung experience (Karangasem)
• Bali cooking class

2. Safety

• Lawar Putih, Lawar Babi (well-cooked) — safe
• Lawar Merah (blood) — most foreigners avoid — hygiene / culture
• Crowded Warung — fresh
• Near Pasar Babi — freshest

3. Flavor

• Strong spices — 11–15 kinds
• Coconut sweetness
• Meaty aroma
• Add sambal

4. Foreigner-friendly options

• Lawar Ayam (chicken) — Muslim, pork-avoidant
• Lawar Sayur (vegetarian) — common in Ubud
• Lawar Putih — vegetarian + ritual experience

5. When attending a ritual

• Balinese friend's family rite
• Watch Lawar production — 4–6 a.m.
• Megibung meal — respectfully
• Right hand only, no left hand

6. Cooking classes

• Casa Luna (Ubud)
• Bumbu Bali (Nusa Dua)
• Paon Bali (Ubud)
• Lawar production possible
• Invitation to a Balinese household — the authentic experience

Quick Summary

Sources / References

• Wiki — Lawar · Balinese cuisine · Megibung · Tabuh Rah
• Official — Bali Provincial Government · PHDI Pusat — ritual food
• News — Bali Post — Lawar series · The Jakarta Post — Balinese ritual food · Tempo — Tabuh Rah debate · Bali Discovery — foreigner guide
• Academic — Eiseman F. B. Jr., Bali: Sekala and Niskala (Periplus, 1989-90); Hobart M. (ed.), The Art and Culture of Bali (1995); Reuter T., Custodians of the Sacred Mountains (University of Hawaii Press, 2002); Howe L., The Changing World of Bali (Routledge, 2005)