Meat Dishes

Be Siap Base Kalas (Chicken In Spiced Coconut Milk)

BALINESE TRADITIONAL BE SIAP BASE KALAS

Be Siap Base Kalas – Chicken in Spiced Coconut Milk

Authentic Balinese Dishes & Recipes

Be Siap Base Kalas, or chicken in a spiced coconut sauce, is a dish that brings together the heart of Balinese culinary tradition with a careful balance of flavors. Traditionally, it’s a dish tied to family gatherings and ceremonies, symbolizing nourishment and unity. The base kalas sauce, rich with coconut milk and a medley of spices like turmeric, galangal, and lemongrass, is foundational in Balinese cuisine and reflects the island’s abundance of fresh ingredients.

Be Siap Base Kalas (Chicken In Spiced Coconut Milk)

Be Siap Base Kalas isn’t just food; it’s a reminder of the Balinese philosophy of balance, using flavors to honor the land and the relationships it nurtures.

Coconut is readily available and inexpensive in Bali, so almost any type of meat or seafood is cooked in coconut-milk gravy; this chicken dish is particularly good.

HOW TO MAKE BALINESE TRADITIONAL Bebek Betutu?

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup chicken spice paste
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised
1 salam leaf
600 gr chicken boneless, cubed
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black peppercorns, crushed
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups coconut milk, light
Fried shallots to garnish

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add spice paste and sauté for 2 minutes over low heat. Add lemon grass, salam leaf and chicken pieces and continue to sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour in chicken stock, bring to boil and simmer for one minute. Add coconut milk, bring to boil, and simmer until chicken is cooked and sauce thickens. If sauce becomes too thick, add a little chicken stock. Serve with Nasi Kuning or steamed rice.

Helpful hints:
Do not cover the pan during cooking, this to prevent the coconut milk from curdling. If you are worried about cholesterol, discard the chicken skin before cooking.

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