Babi Guling
Pork rubbed with base genep, Bali's foundational spice paste, and roasted until the skin turns deeply crackled while the meat stays tender and infused with spice. Traditionally a whole young pig, stuffed with the paste and cassava leaves, is spit-roasted over an open fire for hours while continuously turned, guling meaning "to roll"; it's a genuine Balinese Hindu ceremonial dish also sold everyday in warungs. This version adapts the same spice paste and stuffing technique to an oven-roasted pork belly, since a whole spit-roasted pig isn't practical at home.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Tree Nut, Shellfish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg pork belly, skin-on
- 10 shallots
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4cm turmeric
- 4cm ginger
- 3cm galangal
- 4 candlenuts
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 4 red chilies
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 cups roughly chopped cassava leaves or spinach
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp salt, for rubbing the skin
- 2 bay leaves (daun salam), 4 kaffir lime leaves
Steps
- Blend the shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, galangal, candlenuts, coriander seeds, chilies, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and peppercorns into a smooth paste, the base genep.
- Fry the paste in coconut oil over low heat for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and darkened, then cool slightly.
- Score the pork belly flesh, not the skin, and rub the spice paste generously into the meat; place the bay leaves, lime leaves, and chopped cassava leaves or spinach on top, then roll or fold and tie with kitchen twine, skin facing out.
- Rub the skin surface with salt and pat completely dry, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to dry the skin for crackling.
- Roast at 150C/300F for 2 hours, then increase to 220C/425F for a final 25-35 minutes to crisp and blister the skin, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Rest 15 minutes, then slice and serve with steamed rice, sambal matah, and the pan drippings.