Chicken with Balinese Spices: Ayam Betutu

Total Time: 1 hr                    Prep: 30 min                               Cook: 30 min

Yield:2 servings                                 Level:Easy 

Ingredients

• 4 pounds fresh chicken
• Betutu spice, recipe follows
• Salt and pepper
• Tamarind water (4 or 5 strips of deseeded tamarind pulp dissolved in 1 cup water), to soften
• Banana leaves (or greased parchment paper and aluminum foil)
• 3 salam leaves (can substitute bay leaves)
• Serving suggestion: Coconut Pandan Rice: Nasi Gurih, recipe follows

Betutu spice:

• 1/2 cup peeled shallots
• 1/4 cup peeled garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh tumeric
• 2 tablespoons fresh peeled ginger
• 2 tablespoons galangal
• 2 tablespoons wild ginger
• 3 whole candlenuts
• 2 tablespoons Balinese 1000-spice
• 2 tablespoons fresh hot chile peppers seeded and cleaned
• 4 tablespoons shrimp paste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped peanuts
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Coconut Rice: Nasi Gurih:

• 2 1/2 cups jasmine or Thai rice
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 blade lemongrass
• 4 salam leaves
• 2 Bali or kaffir lime leaves
• 2 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt

Directions

Preheat grill.

Massage chicken with betutu spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and tamarind water. Wrap chicken completely with banana leaves or greased parchment paper and then foil. Place on grill for 30 minutes.

Betutu spice:

Grind shallots, garlic, tumeric, ginger, galangal, wild ginger, candlenuts, 1000-spice, chile peppers, shrimp paste, and peanuts in a food processor. Saute paste with coconut oil.

Coconut Rice: Nasi Gurih:

Wash rice until water is clear and then drain. Put rice in pot with coconut milk, chicken stock, garlic, lemongrass, salam leaves, and bali leaves. Season with salt and stir well. Put on top of stove with medium heat and let it boil. Put in rice cooker and cook until soft. Remove and disregard the lime leaves, garlic, lemongrass and salam leaves.