Base Genep: 'Complete' Balinese Spice Paste
Balinese cuisine uses many spice pastes, known as base, which are used for cooking elaborate meat or vegetable dishes. This recipe, for base genep, is a common and universal spice paste that can be used for everything.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 5 cm turmeric, chopped
- 5 cm galangal, chopped
- 4 cm ginger, chopped
- 4 cm lesser galangal, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped
- 10 shallots, peeled, chopped
- 4 big red chillies, seed removed, chopped
- 4 bird’s eye chillies (add or reduce the amount according to your preference)
- 5 stalks lemongrass, use only the white parts, finely chopped
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 0.5 tsp black peppercorn
- 0.5 tsp white peppercorn
- 3 candlenuts, chopped
- 0.5 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp roasted shrimp paste
- 2 salam leaves
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of sugar
- 0.5 cup coconut oil
Instructions
- 1
Using a blender or food processor, blend into a coarse paste the: chopped turmeric, galangal, ginger, lesser galangal, garlic, shallots, big red chillies, bird’s eye chillies and lemongrass (Paste 1).
- 2
Using a grinder, grind the coriander seeds, black and white peppercorns, candlenuts and nutmeg (Paste 2).
- 3
Mix paste 1 and 2 together.
- 4
Heat the coconut oil in a wok over medium high heat.
- 5
Add the blended spices, roasted shrimp paste, salt, sugar and salam leaves.
- 6
Fry for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to a low flame, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the spices have turned golden brown.
- 7
Let the spice paste cool and keep in the fridge for later use.