RECIPE

Base Be Siap: The Balinese Spice Paste for Chicken Dishes

Base be siap is the dedicated Balinese spice paste for chicken, the aromatic foundation of dishes like ayam betutu and Balinese curries. Learn to make this fragrant bumbu at home.

MyGlob Editorial March 31, 2026 1 min read
Base Be Siap: The Balinese Spice Paste for Chicken Dishes

In Bali, the word base means spice paste and be siap means chicken, so base be siap is quite literally the spice paste for chicken. It is the aromatic engine behind some of the island's most beloved poultry dishes, including the legendary slow-cooked ayam betutu, fragrant Balinese chicken curries and grilled or braised chicken served at warungs and temple feasts. Where Western cooking might reach for a marinade, the Balinese reach for a base, a complete, cooked-down blend of fresh aromatics and spices that infuses the meat with deep, layered flavour.

Ingredients

  • 8 shallots, peeled
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 5 large red chillies, plus bird's eye chillies to taste
  • 4 cm fresh turmeric, peeled (or 1 tsp ground)
  • 4 cm galangal (laos), peeled
  • 3 cm fresh ginger, peeled
  • 4 candlenuts (kemiri), toasted
  • 2 lemongrass stalks, white part sliced
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves
  • 2 salam leaves (Indonesian bay), optional
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, ground
  • 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), toasted
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar (gula Bali), grated
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • Toast and grind the dry spices: warm the coriander seeds and peppercorns in a dry pan, then grind. Toast the candlenuts and shrimp paste briefly to deepen their flavour.
  • Pound or blend the shallots, garlic, chillies, turmeric, galangal, ginger, candlenuts and lemongrass into a smooth, fragrant paste, adding a splash of oil if using a blender.
  • Heat the coconut oil over medium heat and add the paste with the whole kaffir lime and salam leaves. Fry, stirring constantly to prevent catching.
  • Stir in the ground coriander and pepper, crumbled shrimp paste, palm sugar and salt. Keep frying until the paste darkens, the oil separates and the raw aroma disappears, about 12 to 15 minutes.
  • Let the base cool before using. It is now ready to rub over chicken, stuff into a bird for betutu, or simmer into a curry.

Method

  1. 1These bumbu pastes are the backbone of Balinese cuisine. The all-purpose mother paste is base genep, and from it cooks build variations tuned to specific proteins. Base be siap is shaped for chicken: robust enough to stand up to long cooking, yet bright with lemongrass, turmeric and kaffir lime so the dish never feels heavy. Make a batch and you hold the key to genuinely Balinese chicken cooking.
  2. 2Base be siap is a wet spice paste of pounded fresh aromatics and toasted dry spices, fried in coconut oil until cooked and fragrant. It is rubbed over and into chicken, stuffed into the cavity for betutu, or simmered with the meat in curries and braises. The frying step matters: cooking the raw paste mellows the shallots and garlic, blooms the turmeric and spices, and develops the savoury depth that makes the finished dish sing.
  3. 3The flavour profile is warm, earthy and aromatic, with turmeric and galangal giving body, lemongrass and kaffir lime lending citrus lift, and toasted shrimp paste providing umami. Chilli brings heat that you can scale to taste, while a little palm sugar rounds everything out.
  4. 4Cook the paste until the oil separates. This is your sign that the base is fully developed; the colour deepens and oil pools at the edges. A properly cooked base tastes round and savoury, while an under-cooked one tastes raw and bitter.
  5. 5Marinate generously and slowly. For the best results, coat the chicken thoroughly, including under the skin, and let it rest with the base for several hours or overnight. The flavour penetrates deeper and the finished dish is far more authentic.
  6. 6Batch and store. Base be siap keeps about a week in the fridge under a film of oil and freezes well in portions for months. Having it ready means a Balinese chicken dinner is only a simmer away.
  7. 7For ayam betutu, rub the base all over and inside a whole chicken, wrap it tightly (traditionally in banana leaves) and cook it low and slow until meltingly tender. For a Balinese chicken curry, fry extra base, add chicken pieces and coconut milk, and simmer until rich. The same paste makes excellent grilled, braised or stir-fried chicken. Whatever the method, base be siap delivers the deep, aromatic, unmistakably Balinese flavour that keeps travellers chasing the taste long after they leave the island.
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Quick Answer

Base be siap is a Balinese spice paste made for chicken, blending aromatics like shallots, garlic, chilli, ginger, galangal and turmeric. It is fried until fragrant and used to marinate or cook chicken, giving dishes their deep, layered Balinese flavor.

Key Facts
Type
Balinese spice paste
Made for
Chicken dishes
Key aromatics
Shallot, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric
Method
Ground and fried until fragrant
Use
Marinate or cook chicken
Key Takeaways
  • Base be siap is a Balinese spice paste for chicken.
  • It blends shallots, garlic, chilli, ginger and turmeric.
  • The paste is fried until fragrant before use.
  • It is used to marinate or cook chicken dishes.
  • It is a building block of Balinese cuisine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Base be siap is a Balinese spice paste specifically made to season chicken, built from aromatics like shallots, garlic, chilli, ginger, galangal and turmeric.