Name: Balinese Suckling Pig Roast with Aromatic Spice Paste
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 6 h 15 min
Yield: 10 servings (one 9-10 kg piglet)
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 90 g fresh turmeric root, peeled and sliced; 60 g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced; 45 g galangal, peeled and sliced; 12 large red shallots, roughly chopped; 8 garlic cloves, smashed; 6 candlenuts (or macadamias), toasted; 4 large red Thai chilies, seeded; 3 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted; 1 tbsp black peppercorns, toasted; 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), wrapped in foil and charred; 3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced; 6 kaffir lime leaves, ribs removed, sliced; 60 g palm sugar, grated; 2 tbsp fine sea salt; 1 whole suckling piglet (9-10 kg), cleaned and butterflied open; 6 kaffir lime leaves, bruised; 4 lemongrass stalks, smashed; 2 pandan leaves, folded; 2 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 60 ml warm water, strained; 1 banana leaf, softened over flame (optional); 2 tbsp neutral oil; 750 ml coconut water; 60 ml fresh lime juice (about 3 limes); 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp palm sugar; Lime wedges and steamed rice, to serve

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Babi Guling is Bali's most iconic ceremonial dish: a whole young piglet stuffed with a fragrant spice paste called base genep, slowly roasted over coconut-wood coals until the skin shatters like glass and the meat turns silkily tender. This recipe captures the traditional roadside-warung flavor in a home-oven and spit setup, balanced with bright lime, lemongrass, and turmeric.

Prep Time75 mins

Cook Time300 mins

Total Time375 mins

Servings10

Yield10 servings (one 9-10 kg piglet)

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

680 kcalCalories
46 gFat
17 gSaturated Fat
9 gCarbs
2 gFiber
6 gSugar
54 gProtein
740 mgSodium
780 mgPotassium
65 mgCalcium
3 mgIron
9 mgVitamin C
18 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the base genep (Balinese spice paste)

90 g fresh turmeric root, peeled and sliced
60 g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
45 g galangal, peeled and sliced
12 large red shallots, roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves, smashed
6 candlenuts (or macadamias), toasted
4 large red Thai chilies, seeded
3 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted
1 tbsp black peppercorns, toasted
1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), wrapped in foil and charred
3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced
6 kaffir lime leaves, ribs removed, sliced
60 g palm sugar, grated
2 tbsp fine sea salt

For stuffing and assembling the piglet

1 whole suckling piglet (9-10 kg), cleaned and butterflied open
6 kaffir lime leaves, bruised
4 lemongrass stalks, smashed
2 pandan leaves, folded
2 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 60 ml warm water, strained
1 banana leaf, softened over flame (optional)
2 tbsp neutral oil

For basting and finishing

750 ml coconut water
60 ml fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar
Lime wedges and steamed rice, to serve

Directions

Grind all base genep ingredients in batches in a food processor, adding a splash of water as needed, until a thick, fragrant paste forms; it should smell intensely of lemongrass, turmeric, and toasted spice. Adjust salt and palm sugar to a balanced sweet-savory punch.
Pat the piglet completely dry with paper towels, inside and out. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a tight diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat; this is what creates the signature crackling.
Rub the piglet all over with neutral oil, then massage two-thirds of the base genep thoroughly into the meat, working it into every cavity and under the skin where possible. Reserve the remaining paste for basting.
Stir the tamarind liquid into the reserved spice paste along with the bruised kaffir lime leaves, smashed lemongrass, and pandan leaves. Pack this stuffing mixture into the belly cavity, then sew or skewer the cavity closed with metal skewers.
Mount the piglet on a rotisserie spit, securing the legs and ears with butcher's twine so they don't char. Set up a charcoal grill or spit roaster with indirect, medium-low heat (around 160-170°C / 325°F) and roast for 4 to 5 hours, replenishing coals as needed to keep the temperature steady.
Combine coconut water, lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar for the baste. Beginning after the first hour, baste the piglet every 30 minutes with this mixture, plus a brush of the cooking juices collected beneath.
For the final 30 minutes, increase the heat slightly (or move closer to direct heat) to puff and crisp the skin; the scored diamonds should rise and turn deep mahogany-gold. The internal temperature at the thickest part of the shoulder should read 80-85°C (175-185°F).
Rest the piglet uncovered for at least 20 minutes to let the juices redistribute. Carve with a heavy cleaver into choppable pieces, cracking the skin into shards. Serve immediately over steamed rice with lime wedges and a small bowl of the pan juices drizzled over the meat.

Cook’s Notes

Source a true suckling pig (3-5 weeks old, 9-12 kg); older roasters will not give you tender meat under crackling skin.
Dry the skin overnight uncovered in the refrigerator before roasting; moisture is the enemy of crisp crackling, so blot again right before mounting on the spit.
If you don't have a spit, you can roast the butterflied piglet flat on a rack over a deep tray at 150°C / 300°F for 5-6 hours, then blast at 230°C / 450°F for 15 minutes to crisp.
A simple lawar (Balinese vegetable salad of grated coconut, long beans, and spices) is the traditional accompaniment and balances the rich pork perfectly.
Leftover meat and shredded crackling are excellent the next day tucked into warm rice with a fried egg and a splash of kecap manis.