Traditional dish is so good that food critics struggle to describe it

Ian Lloyd Neubauer

Nikkei Asian Review, 28 February 2020

It’s what’s on the inside that counts: A duck is stuffed with the special mix of spices necessary to create the Indonesian delicacy bebek betutu.

UBUD, Indonesia  — “No question about it, this is the best pig I have ever had. Absolutely the best. You think even the finest French chef could ever come up with anything as delicious or as beautiful as this?”

When the TV chef Anthony Bourdain uttered these words while filming in Indonesia in 2006, he turned babi guling — Balinese pig roasted on a spit — from a local favorite into a global delicacy.

There is, however, another Balinese dish that rivals or even exceeds babi guling: bebek betutu — roasted leaf-wrapped duck. Richly seasoned with chili, ginger, candlenuts and garlic, this melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece upstages the flavor profiles of China’s Peking duck, France’s confit de canard and every duck dish ever conceived, according to many prominent food judges.

“The duck meat was black and moist and so tender that it fell from the bone with a touch. It was so delicious and entirely unlike anything I had ever eaten,” wrote Sri Owen, the Indonesian food writer credited with introducing her country’s cuisine to the world, after she sampled bebek betutu for the first time in 1962.

Nicholas Jordan, a Sydney-based food writer, voiced similar sentiments after recently discovering the dish in Bali: “It’s one of the few things I’ve eaten in my life that’s so good it’s taken up a mythical status in my mind … something so beyond regular deliciousness it shouldn’t exist without some sort of paranormal ingredient.”

To learn more about bebek betutu I traveled to Ubud, the Balinese spiritual hub made famous by Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling memoir “Eat, Pray, Love” and the 2010 film based on the book. Now a booming tourist town with a cosmopolitan dining scene, Ubud has several restaurants that list bebek betutu as a signature dish. Among them is Murni’s, where duck legs are plated with pyramids of yellow rice and a spicy green bean and shredded coconut salad called lawar. With a lightly sweet and herbal finish, the recipe has not been altered since Murni’s opened in 1974.

Indus, a restaurant overlooking a coconut tree-fringed river valley owned by Australian-Indonesian culinary icon Janet DeNeefe, is also known for its bebek betutu, though it must be ordered as a whole bird for two or three people to share.

Aperitif, an extravagant 1920s-style restaurant that cost $2 million to build at the luxury Viceroy Bali resort, offers an East-West interpretation of the dish: duck magret (the boned breast of a duck reared for foie gras) injected with bebek betutu spice mix in place of orange sauce.

But according to Astrid Maharani Prajogo of Good Indonesian Food, a culinary tour company, the best bebek betutu is not found in any restaurant. It is made by specialists who work from home and supply locals with ducks for Hindu ceremonies, celebrations and Sunday roasts.

“There are lots of these duck specialists in Bali,” Prajogo says. “But the one I always take my clients to is Pak Rimpin near the Royal Palace in the center of Ubud. I went there because someone told me his duck was the freshest.”

“They’re all very good at what they do … but with Pak Rimpin, it was his idealism that struck me … his desire to preserve the culinary tradition. He was very keen to open up his kitchen and share his recipe and stories with tourists.” She adds: “It’s also where the royal family of Ubud get their bebek betutu.”

The labyrinthine streets and alleys of Ubud are still semi-deserted at 8 a.m. when I arrive at Rimpin’s home, a traditional Balinese compound with intricately decorated stone gates and Hindu shrines. There I find the specialist at work in a central courtyard kitchen filled with cooking aromas and shards of bouncing light.

Rimpin’s bebek betutu must be ordered at least two days in advance. Normally he cooks between 15 and 20 a day, but today it is relatively quiet; he is making only four, plus an order of duck satay sticks. When I ask his age, he consults quickly with his daughter-in-law Junek, who tells me he is “about 60.” He has been cooking duck “since the 1980s” and learned the craft from an older brother. “I asked him to stop working because he’s getting old and the work is exhausting,” Junek says. “But he won’t listen.”

Rimpin sighs and turns his attention to the four ducks soaking in a pail of water. He chooses one, rinses it dry and starts massaging it with a marinade of coconut oil, fermented shrimp paste, soy sauce and salt. He also adds tamarind paste to the blend to neutralize the naturally unpleasant odor of duck meat.

He then stuffs the bird’s cavity with a handful of bay leaves and bumbu — Balinese for “spice mix” — which in this case also contains sesame seeds, galangal and pepper. “There’s no secret recipe. If people think my bebek betutu tastes good it’s because of the attention to detail. I make them one at a time,” he says, wrapping the bird like a birthday present in betel-nut bark, which contains natural oils to further enhance the flavor.

Next, he takes the package to a room blackened by decades of soot with a series of raised mounds for cooking on the floor. He places the package in a steel wok, covers it with a second wok, rests it on one of the mounds and then covers it with a 30-cm-tall pyramid of rice husks. Finally, he tops the pyramid with a few coconut husks, adds a few squirts of kerosene and sets it alight.

The term “betutu” refers not to the recipe but to the use of rice husks — a time-consuming cooking process that gives the ducks cooked by specialists a robust flavor. The ducks are baked in these medieval-style ovens for a minimum of five hours, although Rimpin cooks his for 12 hours.

“You get this dry roasting effect similar with steaming and braising that commercial kitchens designed 1,000 years later still can’t replicate,” says Will Meyrick, an expatriate chef from Scotland who teaches tourists how to make chicken betutu, a popular variant, at the Canggu Cooking Retreat on the coast. “All the spices and ingredients get broken down into this rich juice and the flavor is amazing.”

Rimpin’s customers normally eat his bebek betutu at home. But I want to taste it straight out of the oven and unwrap my parcel in the middle of his kitchen. As the bark curls open I am struck by an aroma so complex it seems to possess texture.

The meat at the top is golden-yellow from the turmeric and black on the inside from the spice mix. I collect some on a fork, mop up some of the golden juice, and take my first bite. The flavor is so remarkable it speeds my heartbeat for a few moments. As much as I try, I can’t find the words to describe what I am tasting.

“What words would you use to describe the emotion of hearing ‘I love you’ for the first time, or the sensation of the sun on your face after a month of winter rain?” says Jordan. “How do you describe one of the best things you’ve ever eaten?”

Bali scores gastro-points with ‘indescribable’ roast duck

The post Bali scores gastro-points with ‘indescribable’ roast duck appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Here are some of Murni’s Warung Food Photos.

Soto Ayam – Chicken-soup Indonesian style.

This well-known and very tasty soup comes from Java and is flavoured with lemon-grass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves and served with steamed white rice, glass-noodles and a boiled egg garnish. Mildly spicy.

Spring Rolls.

Who doesn’t love a perfectly crispy spring roll? Called lumpia in Bali. Spring rolls have been a popular snack in Asia for centuries.  They originated in China and were eaten at spring time. They started as a pancake filled with the new season’s spring vegetables.

Gado-Gado.

An Indonesian salad of slightly steamed vegetables, hard-boiled, spiced eggs, tofu, tempeh, cucumber,  tomatoes and shrimp crackers. The key to this delicious dish is our home made peanut sauce dressing. In 2018, Gado-Gado was nominated as one of 5 national dishes of Indonesia. Served at room temperature.

Bebek Betutu – Balinese Duck.

Bebek Betutu – Balinese Duck – This is the only way you want your duck.  Bali’s most famous dish. The method of preparation is unique. To make the meat really tender, the outside and inside of the duck is rubbed and filled with Balinese spices. It is wrapped with the bark of the areca palm tree and buried with coconut fibres. It is cooked very slowly until it is so tender that the meat falls off the bone and melts in the mouth. It is served with vegetable lawar and yellow rice. The Balinese only eat this dish on special ceremonial occasions.

Nasi Campur.

Our version of the iconic Indonesian dish. Steamed white rice accompanied by an assortment of seasoned tofu, tempe, egg, vegetables, chicken, sate lilit, sweet corn fritters, shrimp crackers, peanuts, roasted coconut and sambal matah. Different every day!

Murni’s Tutu Ayam.

This traditional chicken dish is seasoned with basa genep and slow-cooked until fall apart tender. Earthy and aromatic, it’s the humble sibling of our Bebek Betutu.

Mi Goreng.

Mi Goreng is a one-dish meal favourite. It’s believed to have been introduced by Chinese immigrants centuries ago and given a very distinctive Indonesian twist. Tasty stir-fried noodles with vegetables and pieces of chicken. Locals eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Satė.

Skewers of chicken or pork served over glowing charcoal with our home made peanut sauce. Indonesian Satė is listed as number 14 of the world’s 50 best foods according to CNN Travel’s readers’ poll compiled in July 2017.

Satė Lilit.

Satė Lilit – Balinese style satė, chicken or fish. Preparation takes half a day. Eating takes less than half an hour!

Murni’s Fish in taucho sauce.

Slices of mahi-mahi fish stir-fried with peas, green and red peppers, leek and pineapple slices in flavourful ginger and taucho (fermented soy bean) sauce. A Murni’s Warung classic and award winning dish.

Grilled Fish.

Grilled mahi-mahi topped with sambal matah, served with tossed salad and your choice of steamed white rice or french fries.

Beef Rendang.

Beef Rendang – Voted by CNN Travel as the clear winner of the ‘World’s Most Delicious Food’. Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, then left to stew for hours to create a dish of tender, flavorful bovine goodness. This Sumatran dish is served at ceremonial occasions and to honored guests. It will send your stomach into overdrive.

Rijstafel at Murni’s Warung.

Rijstafel at Murni’s Warung is a sampler of the many special aromatic snacks, meals and drinks to come out of the traditional Balinese home kitchen, cooked for loved family members and close friends on special holidays and occasions.

Bakso Ayam.

Tipat Cantok.

Nasi Goreng.

Iga Bakar – Pork Spare Ribs.

They are tender … you don’t need a knife … just a fork. Or better still … use your hands! The sauce is a Murni’s Warung invention, kind of like a BBQ sauce but not really. It has a natural sweetness, but not too sweet. It’s tangy and mouth watering. The ribs come with a choice of french fries or white rice.

Cheeseburger.

One of our original dishes from 1974. The Cheeseburger was invented in 1920 in Pasadena, California, an amazing 20 years after the hamburger. Lionel Sternberger (no pun intended), a cook at his father’s sandwich shop, ‘The Rite Spot’, decided to place a slab of cheese on top of a hamburger, inventing one of the world’s most loved dishes. 150 gram beef patty, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and pickles. Served with french fries.

Stuffed Tofu.

5 pieces of soya tofu, stuffed with young bean sprouts, celery, carrots and leeks. Vegan and healthy!! High in protein and very nutritious, loaded with deliciousness and tasty flavour! 

Raw Zoodles.

Raw Zoodles – zoodles, otherwise known as zucchini noodles.  Our chef is spiralizing zucchini and making you believe that you’re eating noodles! But these are delicious, low-carb, gluten-free, fresh and raw – spiralized zucchini, broccoli, red peppers, carrot and basil leaves with a tasty, tangy Italian herb dressing of olive oil, lime, parsley,  garlic and honey.

Healthy Vegan Rolls.

Carrot, turnip, bean sprouts, lettuce, white sesame seeds, black pepper, and coriander leaves rolled in rice paper with a garlic, ginger dressing. 8 rolls.

Veggie Burger.

Veggie patty consisting of tempe, carrots, onion and garlic. Served with french fries and salad.

Mixed Tossed Salad.

Mixed Tossed Salad full of Fresh Garden and Farmers Market vegetables featuring lettuce,cucumbers, tomatoes, pineapples, black olives, onions, red cabbage, apples and lime. Topped off with a choice of classic Thousand Island, Mayonnaise or our delicious Honey Mustard dressing designed to make those flavours zing!

Club Sandwich.

Several places claim to be the creator of this classic layered sandwich. The famous Saratoga Club House in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1894 as well as the Union Club of New York City, take credit for creating the club sandwich, short for clubhouse. The latest theory is that  ‘club’ is  an acronym for ‘chicken lettuce under bacon’. Chicken slices, bacon, lettuce, tomato, boiled egg, cheese and mayonnaise. Served with cassava chips.

Vegan Curry.

Our homemade rich and flavourful curry full of French beans, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, crispy tempe slices and the pièce de résistance a pan fried banana. Served with steamed white rice.

Fish and Chips.

Kid’s Menu. Fish and Chips – served with our home made tartar sauce. Anything that’s been around since the 1860s can’t be doing much wrong.

Spaghetti Bolognese.

There’s a reason spaghetti is so popular – it just works. Pasta with a slow cooked, flavoursome, silky minced beef and tomato sauce.

Krupuk Udang.

Krupuk Udang – known as prawn crackers – Krupuk are crunchy savoury snacks  eaten as a snack or as an accompaniment with meals. And they go perfectly with Bintang beer.

Krupuk Melinjo.

Krupuk Tempe.

Kripik Singkong.

French fries.

The French and the Belgians have an ongoing argument about where fries were invented!  Called French fries, or simply fries in America, chips in Britain, hot chips in Australia, and finger chips in India! We call them French fries and serve them with ketchup and chili sauce.

Murni’s Balinese Caramel Cake.

Murni’s Balinese Caramel Cake – A delicious cake made for the Gods at Balinese ceremonies.

Cheesecake.

Cheesecake with fresh strawberry sauce. The Ancient Greeks were serving small cheesecakes to the athletes during the first Olympic Games on the Island of Delos in 776 BC and the Romans were giving them as offerings to the gods.

Balinese Black Rice Pudding.

Most visitors to Bali fall in love with the wonderful nutty flavour of Balinese Black Rice Pudding,  with rich coconut cream. It’s actually a deep purple colour and is called bubur injin. It can be  served at breakfast or as a dessert.

Mary’s Grandmother’s Scrumptious Apple Pie.

Mary’s Grandmother’s Scrumptious Apple Pie  – home made goodness at its very best, made even better if you add ice cream!

We all know the expression ‘as American as apple pie’ but this tastiest of tasty desserts did not actually come from America nor did the apples. According to Pliny, the Romans cultivated 23 different varieties of apples  and brought some to England. The first mention of apple pie was in 1381 in England. Captain John Smith, and the other English settlers, brought apple seeds and cuttings from England’s best fruit trees to the English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America, in 1607.

The Dutch brought apples to Indonesia from Australia in the 1930s.

We use the best apples and make sure that the pie has a unique, flaky, buttery crust and texture, and we serve it warm to improve the flavour.

Strawberry Banana Yoghurt Pie .     

Why has the Strawberry Banana Yoghurt Pie been on the menu since 1974? Because it’s a winner! And it’s made from the same yoghurt culture that’s even older! 

Murni’s Unique Ooey-Gooey Cashew Pie.

Moist Coconut Cake (seasonal).

You start by climbing a tree and cutting down a coconut.

Rum-rich Chocolate Cake.

Hot Chocolate.

The post Murni’s Warung Food Photos appeared first on Murni's in Bali.