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1
Make the Base Genep Paste
20 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F) for frying the paste
Blend the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, chillies, lemongrass, shrimp paste, coriander, pepper, salt and lime juice into a smooth, thick paste, adding a splash of water only if the blender stalls. Heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium heat, fry the paste for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until it darkens a shade, smells nutty and the oil separates at the edges.
A paste that is still pale and raw-smelling will make the chicken taste harsh — fry until the colour deepens and the kitchen smells like a Balinese warung.
Done when: The paste is a shade darker, glossy with oil, and smells toasted and fragrant rather than raw.
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2
Stuff and Wrap the Chicken
20 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Let the paste cool for 5 minutes, then rub it generously all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Mix a third of the paste through the squeezed cassava leaves and pack them into the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, lay the bird on overlapping banana leaves, fold them into a tight parcel and tie with string or strips of leaf.
Pack the leaves tightly and fold the parcel snugly — air gaps let steam escape and dry the bird out.
Done when: The bird is fully coated in paste, the cavity is packed, and the parcel is sealed with no gaps.
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3
Steam Until Tender
60 Mins
Steamer over boiling water, about 100°C (212°F)
Set the parcel in a large steamer over boiling water, cover, and steam for 60 minutes, topping up the water if the pot runs low. The banana leaf traps the steam so the chicken cooks gently in its own spiced juices.
Keep the water at a steady rolling boil and do not lift the lid for the first 30 minutes, or the temperature drops and the cooking stalls.
Done when: The parcel feels soft when pressed and the leaf has darkened; a skewer into the thigh meets no resistance.
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4
Roast in the Leaf Until Golden
60 Mins
180°C (350°F)
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Move the parcel to a roasting tin and roast for 55 to 60 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the leaf is lightly charred at the edges and the chicken inside reaches 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part of the thigh. The roast finishes the cooking and gives the skin its golden colour.
Check the internal temperature with a thermometer — betutu should be cooked right through, and the thigh is the slowest part to reach 74°C (165°F).
Done when: The leaf is charred at the edges, the juices run clear, and the thigh reads 74°C (165°F) on a thermometer.
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5
Rest, Unwrap and Serve
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Rest the parcel for 10 minutes, then cut the strings and open the leaves at the table so everyone gets the aroma. Carve the chicken into pieces and serve with the cassava leaves from the cavity, steamed rice, sambal matah and lawar, as in the photo.
Open the parcel at the table — the burst of lemongrass and turmeric steam is half the pleasure of betutu.
Done when: The meat pulls cleanly from the bone and the leaves are soft and dark green.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the carved chicken with the spiced cassava leaves from the cavity, a mound of steamed rice, sambal matah and a spoonful of lawar. The leaf, the rice and the sambal are all part of the dish — betutu is rarely eaten on its own.
Indonesia
35m
