Jimbaran Style Grilled Squid

Jimbaran Style Grilled Squid

by | Nov 20, 2020 | Recipes

Jimbaran Style
Grilled Squid

served with sambal kecap manis and fresh lemon basil

If you happen to have a craving for Jimbaran style grilled seafood, here’s how you can make it yourself.

Regulars to Bali know Jimbaran as the beachside fishing village and seafood market, which at night transforms into an open air seafood grill fest. Diners can choose the seafood, bring it to a grill master who will cook it to your liking.

Jimbaran is one of the best places on the island to get the freshest seafood, and aside from the beauty of alfresco dining with the sand between your toes, you are entertained by the roaming buskers performing songs by request.

In this recipe, I uncover the secret recipe of Jimbaran’s Seaside Grill Masters to show how easy it is to cook at home.

Will Meyrick

portions

minutes

Summary

Main Ingredients

  • 4 squids tubes cleaned and also keeping the tentacles
  • 2 sprigs lemon basil
  • 1 piece Balinese lime (any lime will do), halved
  • Sambal kecap manis

 

Marinade I

  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 knob turmeric
  • 1 knob ginger
  • 1 cup butter/margarine
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • Salt
  • Oil

Marinade II (Sambal Kecap Manis)

  • 1 piece shallot, peeled and diced
  • ½ cup small green chillies, chopped
  • 1 cup sweet soy sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced

Sambal Kecap Manis

  • 1 piece shallot, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup small green chillies, chopped
  • 1 cup sweet soy sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced

Simply combine the chopped chillies, soy sauce and lime juice together. This can be kept in airtight container in the refrigeration for several days to use as desired.

Garnish

lemon basil

Step by Step Instructions

step 1 : squid prep I

Place the squid on the table and pull the tentacles out with that it should also come the clear cartilage and ink sack, in the same area as the tentacles is also the beck of the squid,  the mouth should just pop out  if you squeeze the tentacles and set to one side.

step 2 : squid prep II

Lightly slice the body of the squid into 4 but make sure you don’t cut all the way through.

step 3 : marinade

Blend your “marinade I” until smooth, by softening butter/margarine and blend garlic, turmeric, ginger to a fine paste.

step 4 : rubbing

Then rub the squid throughly as well as squeezing lime juice, salt and some oil.

step 5 : sambal kecap

Prepare the sambal kecap by simply combine the chopped chillies, soy sauce and lime juice together.

step 6 : embers

Make sure your BBQ is hot and there are no yellow flames.

step 7 : grilling

Place your squid on the wire mesh with the first marinade and grill for 3 minutes each side.

step 8 : spreading

Then add the second marinade of sambal kecap manis and lightly spread onto the squid.

step 9 : second grill

Put it back on the grill and cook for another 5 minutes, turn a couple of times.

step 10 : serving

Served with sambal kecap manis and fresh lemon basil. 

selamat makan!

Bon appetit!

Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish

Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish

by | Nov 20, 2020 | Fish & Seafood, Recipes

Jimbaran Style
Grilled Fish

with sambal matah and sambal kecap manis

A Balinese easy-to-cook recipe

Today I am in Pemuteran, the area known for its fish farms producing groupers for global market. Here I show you how to cook Jimbaran style grilled snapper fish. Want to taste this delightful dish of Bali? (take also a look at Jimbaran Fish Market here)

Will Meyrick

portions

minutes

Summary

Main Ingredients

  • 1 whole snapper
  • 2 sprigs lemon basil
  • 1 piece Balinese lime (any lime will do), halved
  • Sambal matah
  • Sambal kecap manis

Marinade I

  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 knob turmeric
  • 1 knob ginger
  • Juice of 1 lime

 

Marinade II

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 knob turmeric
  • 1 cup butter/margarine

Marinade III

  • 8 pieces shallots
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup candlenut
  • 1/3 cup red curly chilli, chopped
  • 1 knob ginger
  • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
  • Salt to taste
  • Palm sugar to taste (but quite sweet)
  • 1/3 cup small red chilli, chopped
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons tamarind juice

Sambal Matah

  • 8 pieces shallots
  • 2 stalks lemongrass
  • 3 pieces red birds eye chilli, seeds intact
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
  • 3 pieces Balinese lime, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Finely chop shallots, lemongrass and chillies.
Combine with dried shrimp paste, Balinese lime juice and heat up coconut oil until smoking and then pour over the sambal.
Use your fingertips to lightly mix together with the oil. Serve immediately.

Sambal Kecap Manis

  • 1 piece shallot, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup small green chillies, chopped
  • 1 cup sweet soy sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced

Simply combine the chopped chillies, soy sauce and lime juice together. This can be kept in airtight container in the refrigeration for several days to use as desired.

Garnish

lime halves

Step by Step Instructions

step 1 : butterfly

* Take the snapper and open it up from the back so it butterflied.

step 2 : marinade I

Blend your “Marinade I” until smooth, then rub the fish thoroughly with it. This is to take the smell away of the insides.

step 3 : marinade II

Prepare the “Marinade II” by softening butter/margarine and blend all the ingredients to a fine paste.

step 4 : marinade III

Then combine and blend the ingredients from your “Marinade III” list together to create third paste.

step 5 : embers

Make sure your BBQ is hot and there are no yellow flames.

step 6 : first grill

Place your fish in a wire mesh with the first marinade and grill for 3 minutes each side.

step 7 : marinade spread

Then add the second marinade of butter and lightly spread onto fish.

step 8 : second grill

Put it back on the grill and cook for another 5 minutes, turning a couple of times.

step 9 : second marinade

Finally take it off the grill and apply the last marinade. Brush this on evenly and not too thick, otherwise the paste will be raw.

step 10 : final grill

Put the fish back on the grill and cook until the skin is nicely caramelized and served with sambal matah and sambal kecap manis.

selamat makan!

Bon appetit!

Gallery

Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish - A Recipe by Will Meyrick
Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish - A Recipe by Will Meyrick
Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish - A Recipe by Will Meyrick
Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish - A Recipe by Will Meyrick
Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish - A Recipe by Will Meyrick
Jimbaran Style Grilled Fish - A Recipe by Will Meyrick

The Betutu Story

The Betutu Story

by | Nov 17, 2015 | Food Culture

The Betutu Story

FOOD CULTURE | BALI

Published in Hello Bali – December 2015

Discovering the secrets of Balinese cuisine is a fascinating journey, and one that at times has an almost fairytale feel to it. Take for example the story of the bumbu genep. This mixture of 13 spices is the basis of nearly every Balinese dish.

BETUTU, HUJAN LOCALE STYLE

Even though there is no scientific evidence, it is believed to have been part of Balinese history for more than 2,000 years. Also, the bumbu was supposed to have been a present from the gods to human beings given through the Pandavas, the five children of King Pandu.

The Pandavas:
Yudhishthira (Or Dharma), Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva
who are the main characters in the epic Mahabharata.

The Balinese believe in the importance of balancing every aspect of their lives, and that includes their culinary culture. Bumbu genep consists of four main spices which represent the balance of four gods, as well as four main directions. Galangal symbolises The Brahma and the south, turmeric The Mahadewa and the west, ginger The Vishnu and the north, and kencur The Iswara and the east.

My interpretation of Bumbu base genep: – CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE –

In traditional Balinese kitchens, these four ingredients are measured with the length of fingers; galangal by the middle finger, turmeric the index finger, Ginger the ring finger, and kencur the pinky. Eight more spices are combined with these main ones, including shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, chilli and salt. The bumbu genep is used to season sate lilit, lawar and many other dishes, including the succulent betutu, one of the most popular Balinese ceremonial dishes and made from chicken or duck.

THE UBUD VERSION OF THE BETUTU

There are a few different versions of betutu found throughout the island. In Ubud, the birds are stuffed with cassava leaves encasing the full complement of the bumbu genep, then wrapped in banana leaves and placed inside a husk, coconut or rice, then roasted slowly for up to twelve hours. This double wrapping makes the flesh of the cooked bird tender and succulent. The roasting permeates the spices to make an insanely satisfying, almost barbequelike flavour.

A FESTIVAL OF FOOD IN GILIMANUK

Other regions, such as Gilimanuk, Bangli and Klungkung, cook their betutu in different ways. Fortunately, to try any of them you don’t have to wait to be invited to a festival, since there are speciality warung making the most out of the everyday and turning any meal into a festive occasion.

  Ayam Betutu Men Tempeh

THE FRIED BETUTU OF MEN TEMPEH

The late Mrs. Tempeh, originally from Gianyar, began this venture with her husband, a native of Bangli in 1978, at Gilimanuk bus station. Their version is still the most popular, and involves boiling the bird for an hour in the bumbu genep spices and serving it soup-style with plecing, the green leafy vegetable mixed with spicy sambal. Also offered is fried betutu, spicy and tender inside but crispy outside.

The betutu has been so successful that many of the employees of the warung have set themselves up as competitors, right at the bus station! It has become impossible to work out which is the original, as the ex-workers have not only copied the recipes but also taken the name of the warung with them. Today you will find almost a dozen “original” Men Tempeh traders.

The business is now run by Mrs. Tempeh’s son, who has decided to open a branch in Denpasar at Krisna Kuliner food mall. Here Ketut Nuryasta, a childhood friend, closely guards the secret recipe as he prepares the original betutu over an authentic traditional fireplace serving up a superbly spicy Men Tempeh Gilimanuk-style dish.

  Ayam Betutu Khas Gilimanuk

One of the former Men Tempeh workers did in fact take an individual approach. When Oka Suci branched out he also rebranded. First he switched the recipe from being super-spicy to a little bit milder, allowing more people to experience the taste. Second, he added humour. He turned his comedian friend Dadab into a Ronald McDonald-like character, making Dadab’s face the logo on the yellow signboards that proudly advertise Betutu Gilimanuk across the island. While Men Tempeh is famous among locals, Oka’s Betutu Gilimanuk gets the biggest slice of the tourist market.

  Ayam Betutu Ibu Nia

Moving with the times, Betutu Ibu Nia has taken the bus depot betutu style into more pleasant surrounds at Jalan Merdeka, in leafy tree-lined Renon. Here you will find a very good betutu nicely presented with raw vegetable and sliced tomato. Cleverly, Ibu Nia serves only the chicken, and has created a niche market for her ayam betutu on account of not serving duck. She is gaining ground in a competitive market since just around the corner from her place is one of the popular Betutu Gilimanuk’s.

  Ayam Betutu Warung Liku

Warung Liku – which means meandering like a lazy river – on Jalan Nakula sells its betutu as part of a whole set meal, so you absolutely have to be meandering to enjoy the full benefits. The betutu here is grilled first then boiled in the spices of a bumbu gede. The warung is always full at lunch time.

  Hujan Locale

At Hujan Locale we adopted gilimanuk-style betutu. I like this for the toothsome resistance of the roasted skin that is followed immediately by the yielding of tender aromatic flesh. Life is worth celebrating, and the betutu served at Hujan allows you to do just that. With a chilled glass of wine and a Balinese temple view, you can unwind and enjoy the traditional flavours of Bali.
Bali: Babi Guling Bu Mangku

Bali: Babi Guling Bu Mangku

by | Nov 27, 2012 | Warungs

Babi Guling Bu Mangku

Warungs SERIES | BALI

Ibu Mangku had a tiny little warung serving up Bali’s favourite kind of local worker’s breakfast – babi guling.

  She sells up to 9000 small sates per day

When I got here at 9:15am, she’d already almost sold out. All that was left were a few remnants of the suckling pig she is famous for. Luckily there was enough for us, so we did get to try a taste anyway.

While I was eating, Ibu Mangku is bundling up 100 bungkus (triangular shaped paper takeaway parcels) for delivery that morning.

The “bungkus”

They are on their way to the airport for staff catering at the canteen there. I find out that she sells up to 300 bungkus – and makes up to 9000 small sates – per day. Shocked, I realize that this humble holy man’s wife is a real culinary entrepreneur, giving new meaning to the term ‘quiet achiever’.

WARUNG IBU MANGKU

A THRIVING BUSINESS

SNACK TEMPTATION

The Balinese can create thriving little businesses like this for much less of an investment and effort than Westerners do. Even high-end restaurants can learn a thing or two from this kind of enterprising side to their main gig. There is definitely something to be said for doing takeaway!