Three Bali Kitchen Uses for Honey That Are Not Toast

Honey burns. That is the only technique that matters. The sugars go dark and bitter if they sit on a ripping-hot pan. Brush, glaze, and finish at the end. Cook the food first.

These three uses match the jars we actually sell. If you have not chosen one, wildflower, jungle, and jelly taste different on purpose. Use the light one where lime should lead, and the deeper one where the honey should still be there after heat.

Lime and chili dressing, with wildflower

This is for greens, cucumber, or fish that is already grilled. It makes enough for two plates.

• 1 tablespoon wildflower honey
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce or fish sauce
• A slice of fresh chili
• A pinch of salt

Stir it in a cup until the honey dissolves. Wildflower is light enough that the lime still runs the dish. If your jar has crystallized, soften a spoonful in a little of the lime juice rather than heating the whole jar.

A jungle honey glaze for chicken

Jungle honey has a deeper, woodsy flavor that stays after cooking. Wildflower is easier to lose in a pan.

• 2 tablespoons jungle honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed

1. Cook the chicken almost through, on a grill or in a pan.
2. Mix the glaze in a cup. Do not pour it into a dry pan and walk away.
3. Brush it on for the last few minutes, or toss the chicken with it off the heat.

If the pan is smoking, it is too hot. The glaze should shine, not turn black at the edges. Burnt honey tastes bitter, and more honey will not cover it.

Grilled fruit, with jelly or wildflower

Pineapple or banana. Oil the grill lightly, cook the fruit until it has marks, then brush a thin coat of honey so it glosses instead of becoming charcoal.

Jelly honey makes the thicker coat. It sits on the fruit. Wildflower stays lighter and soaks in a little. Finish with lime and a pinch of salt. Salt is what keeps it from tasting like dessert syrup.

What not to do with the jar

• Do not leave the honey jar open beside the stove while you cook. Steam on the rim is how a good jar starts to ferment later.
• Do not put the honey jar in the fridge because the dressing lives there. Mix the dressing in another container.
• Do not boil honey into a sauce for a long time and expect it to taste like the spoon. Add it late. The drink version of this rule is in do not boil the honey.

A jar is IDR 100,000. If you cook more than you drink tea, start with jungle. If the kitchen is mostly hot drinks, start with wildflower. Order here and we contact you to arrange delivery.