Betutu (

Balinese script The Balinese script, natively known as and , (Balinese language, Balinese: ᬅᬓ᭄ᬱᬭᬩᬮᬶ) is an abugida used in the island of Bali, Indonesia, commonly for writing the Austronesian language, Austronesian Balinese language, Kawi la ...

: ) is a Balinese dish of

steamed Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be steamed in a wok. In the American Southwest, steam pits used for cooking ha ...

roasted Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelizat ...

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...

in rich '' bumbu betutu'' (betutu spice mix). This highly seasoned and spiced dish is a popular dish in

Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...

and

Lombok Lombok, is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. It is rou ...

, Indonesia. An even spicier version is available using extra-spicy sauce made from uncooked (raw) onion slices mixed with red

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

s and

coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut fat) is an edible oil derived from the kernels, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat below around , and a clear thin liquid oil at higher temperatures. Unrefined varieties have a disti ...

. Betutu is a richly spiced Balinese poultry dish. It is often called according to its main ingredients; ayam betutu is chicken betutu, while bebek betutu is the duck version. This traditional dish can be found on the menu of luxury hotels or restaurants in Bali, and it is popular among

tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity on ...

Spice mixture

The term ''betutu'' is the Balinese word for a certain

spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

mixture ('' bumbu'') which consist of shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, wild ginger, galangal, candle nuts, chili peppers,

shrimp paste Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a Fermentation, fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine, Southeast Asian and Coastal Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed Shrimp and prawn as food, shrimp or krill mixed ...

, and peanuts all finely ground using

mortar and pestle A mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used to prepare ingredients or substances by compression (physics), crushing and shear force, grinding them into a fine Paste (rheology), paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. ...

. The betutu spice paste is sauteed with coconut oil to release its aroma and then applied to poultry, chicken, or duck. Common side dishes may include '' plecing kangkung'', crispy-fried peanuts, and '' sambal terasi''.

Regional differences

In Bali, betutu's tastes and ways of cooking are different according to regions: in Klungkung and Karangasem, chicken is stuffed with betutu spices; in Gianyar, betutu is cooked with plantain leaf wrapping; and in Gilimanuk, betutu is rather hot and spicy.

References

{{Indonesian cuisine Balinese cuisine

Spice mixture

Regional differences

Further reading

See also

References