In Indonesia, the roasted pig (using both adult and suckling pig) is called Babi guling, or babi putar, babi panggang, or babi bakar, prepared with a spice paste and grilled on a spit.
It is found predominantly in regions with a non-Muslim majority, such as the Hindu lands of Bali and Christian Batak in northern Sumatra, the Minahasa people of North Sulawesi, the Toraja in South Sulawesi, Papua, and also among Indonesian Chinese.
In Bali, babi guling is usually served with lawar (an Indonesian dish made from a mixture of vegetables, coconut, and minced meat mixed with rich herbs and spices, originating from Bali) and steamed rice; it is a popular dish in Balinese restaurants and warung (family-owned businesses).
In the tradition of the Batak people, babi guling is a prerequisite in wedding offerings from the bride’s family.
In Papua, pigs and sweet potatoes are roasted on heated stones placed in a dug-out hole in the ground and covered with leaves; this cooking method is called bakar batu (burning the stone), and it is an important cultural and social event among the Papuans.
Below is the homemade version using an oven.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Indonesian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3.3 lbs suckling pig with rind (or pork belly)
- 1.75 oz turmeric
- to taste salt
- to taste lime leaves
- 2.8 oz turmeric
- 12 chilies (chopped)
- 8 shallots (chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 0.35 oz fresh ginger (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds (chopped)
- to taste pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- to taste salt
- 1 tablespoon galangal
Tools
- kitchen string
Steps
Rub the pig’s skin with salt and set aside.
For the spice paste, process the ingredients and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt in a food processor until a fine paste forms.
Place the pig with the skin side down on a work surface. Spread the spice paste over it, sprinkle lime leaves along one long side, then roll to form a long cylinder.
Secure with satay sticks or tie with kitchen string.
Brush with turmeric mixed with 125 ml of water and let it marinate in a cool, airy place to dry the skin (30 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 392°F/356°F fan-forced.
Place the pig on a rack in a baking tray and roast until the skin crackles (30 minutes), then reduce the oven to 347°F/311°F fan-forced.
Baste occasionally with the cooking juices until they run clear when the thickest part of the pig can be pierced (1-1.5 hours).
Serve after resting for 10 minutes.
