Bebek Betutu

How to make Indonesia Bebek Betutu, a recipe from SBS Food Safari show.

Ingredients

1 whole duck, preferably free range organic – just like Balinese ducks.
1 roll of banana leaves (optional) or aluminium foil for wrapping

Seasoning paste

10 shallots or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 head garlic, cloves peeled
4 candlenuts, crushed
2 tsp shrimp paste, roasted
1cm each of fresh galangal, ginger, and turmeric (plus an extra 1 cm of turmeric for duck washing water)
1 lemongrass stick, outer leaves removed, chopped
1 tbsp of palm sugar, grated
1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
3 tbsp lime juice
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp water
3 tsp salt, to taste
3 red chillies, roughly chopped (optional)

Stuffing

½ of the seasoning paste (above)
200g English spinach leaves, blanched and roughly shredded
1 cinnamon or cassia quill

Directions

Preheat Weber BBQ or oven to 160oC.

Wash duck with turmeric-infused water – inside and out.

Combine all seasoning paste ingredients and blend until a textured chunky paste.

Take half of the seasoning paste and combine with spinach leaves for the stuffing.

Rub the duck well inside and out with remaining seasoning paste.

Fill the inside cavity of the duck with the stuffing and cinnamon quill.

Wrap the duck well in the banana leaves, then wrap the parcel in a layer of aluminium foil.

Place on an oven tray, then into the BBQ for 4 hours, or into the oven for two hours. Turn oven down to 120 oC and cook for a further 2 hours.

Remove from BBQ or oven, drain off all the juice and simmer in a pan, combining a little of the stuffing.

Serve with rice, sambal, and steamed snake beans or Chinese greens (or both).