Ayam Betutu

Ayam Betutu (AH-yam beh-TOO-too)

Balinese Spiced Chicken

⏱ Prep Time 4 hours

📈 Difficulty Hard

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 488 kcal

A whole chicken rubbed inside and out with an elaborate Balinese spice paste of turmeric, galangal, and chilies, wrapped in banana leaves, and slow-roasted until succulent and deeply aromatic.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 40.0g

Carbs 10.0g

Fat 32.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ coconut

Equipment Needed

mortar and pestle banana leaves roasting pan with lid or foil

Presentation Guide

Vessel: banana leaf

Garnishes: sambal matah, plecing kangkung

Accompaniments: steamed rice, lawar (mixed vegetables), sambal

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
Bumbu (spice paste): 10 shallots, 8 cloves garlic, 8 red chilies, 5 bird's eye chilies, 3 cm turmeric, 3 cm galangal, 3 cm ginger, 5 candlenuts (kemiri), 2 stalks lemongrass, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), 2 tbsp coconut oil, salt
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 bay leaves
Banana leaves for wrapping
Cassava leaves or spinach for stuffing

Instructions

1
Grind all bumbu ingredients into a smooth, fragrant spice paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor.
2
Sauté the spice paste in coconut oil for 10 minutes until deeply aromatic and the oil separates.
3
Rub the entire chicken inside and out with the cooked spice paste. Stuff the cavity with cassava leaves or spinach mixed with extra paste.
4
Wrap the chicken tightly in banana leaves, securing with kitchen twine or toothpicks.
5
Place wrapped chicken in a roasting pan, cover tightly, and roast at 160°C (325°F) for 3-3.5 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.
6
Unwrap at the table to release the extraordinary aroma. Serve with steamed rice and sambal matah (raw shallot-lemongrass sambal).

💡

Did You Know?

Traditional Balinese betutu was cooked by burying the wrapped chicken in rice husk embers and leaving it overnight, producing meat of extraordinary tenderness.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

mortar and pestle
banana leaves
roasting pan with lid or foil

Garnishing

sambal matah, plecing kangkung

Accompaniments

steamed rice, lawar (mixed vegetables), sambal

The Story Behind Ayam Betutu

Ayam betutu is a sacred dish in Balinese Hindu cuisine, traditionally prepared for temple ceremonies (odalan) and religious festivals. The elaborate spice paste reflects the Balinese belief that food prepared with care and complexity is a form of devotion. The village of Gilimanuk in western Bali is famous for its betutu, and the dish is considered one of Bali's most treasured culinary traditions.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed ceremonies, temple festivals, special occasions 📜 Origins: Balinese, ancient Hindu tradition

Comments (0)

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!