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1
Make the Basa Gede Spice Paste
20 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan for 1 minute until fragrant, then grind. Blend the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, chillies, lemongrass, candlenuts, ground coriander, toasted shrimp paste, coconut oil, salt and palm sugar into a thick, golden paste, adding a spoon of water if the blender stalls.
Blend in short bursts and scrape the sides down — a smooth paste rubs on evenly and browns evenly.
Done when: The paste is thick, golden and smells warmly of turmeric and lemongrass.
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2
Score, Salt and Rub the Pork
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Score the pork skin in 1 cm diamonds, cutting through the skin but not into the meat. Rub half the salt over the skin and the rest of the paste all over the meat side. Roll the shoulder into an even cylinder and tie with kitchen string every 5 cm.
Score shallow and even — deep cuts let the fat run out and the crackling goes soft.
Done when: The roast is a neat cylinder with dry, salted, diamond-scored skin.
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3
Roast Low and Slow
3 Hours
180°C (350°F)
Set the pork on a rack over a roasting tin, skin side up, and roast at 180°C (350°F) for 3 hours, basting with coconut water every 30 minutes. Start the rice in the last 40 minutes so it is ready when the pork rests.
Baste, do not pour — a light brush of coconut water keeps the meat moist without wetting the skin.
Done when: The meat is tender, the kitchen smells of turmeric and lemongrass, and the skin is golden.
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4
Crisp the Crackling
25 Mins
230°C (450°F)
Turn the oven up to 230°C (450°F) and roast for 20–25 minutes until the skin blisters and crackles all over. Check the thickest part with a thermometer: it must read at least 71°C (160°F).
If one patch stays soft, hold it under a hot grill for 1–2 minutes — watch it, it turns fast.
Done when: The skin is deep amber, blistered and crisp; the meat reads at least 71°C (160°F).
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5
Rest and Carve
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Rest the roast on a board for 15 minutes so the juices settle. Cut the crackling off in sheets, then slice or shred the meat and toss it with the pan juices.
Resting is not optional — carve too soon and the juices run out onto the board.
Done when: The meat is juicy, the crackling snaps when bent, and the juices stay in the meat.
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6
Mix the Sambal and Serve
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Mix the sliced shallots and chillies with the lime juice and salt, and rest 5 minutes. Serve the pork and crackling over steamed jasmine rice with the sambal on the side.
Let the sambal sit a few minutes — the lime softens the shallot and the flavours come together.
Done when: Each plate has rice, juicy pork, a shard of crackling and a spoon of bright sambal.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the pork the moment it is carved, while the crackling is still loud — crackling softens quickly once it sits on the rice, so keep the shards on top until the last second.
Indonesia
35m
