Be Celeng Base Manis: Balinese Sweet Soy Pork Recipe (2026)
Cook Be Celeng Base Manis, Bali's beloved pork braised in sweet soy sauce and aromatic spices until sticky and tender. Full ingredients, method and tips.
MyGlob Editorial June 18, 2026 2 min read
Be Celeng Base Manis is a dish that explains why Bali, unlike most of Indonesia, has such a strong pork-eating culture. Be celeng means pork and base manis means sweet base or sweet seasoning. The pork is simmered with shallots, garlic, ginger and spices in sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) until the meat turns tender and the sauce reduces to a dark, sticky, glistening glaze.
Ingredients
- 700 g pork belly or pork shoulder, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 5 tablespoons kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 salam (Indonesian bay) leaf
- 2 cm cinnamon stick
- 300 ml water
- 2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil
- Salt and a little palm sugar to taste
- 6 shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 to 4 red chillies, to taste
- 3 cm ginger
- 3 cm galangal
- 2 candlenuts
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste (terasi), toasted (optional)
- Blend all the spice paste ingredients into a smooth paste.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan or pot, add the paste together with the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, salam leaf and cinnamon, and fry over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the pork and stir to coat, letting it sear and pick up colour for a few minutes.
- Pour in the water, kecap manis and light soy sauce, stir well, and bring to a simmer.
- Cover partially and braise gently for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender.
- Uncover and raise the heat slightly, simmering until the sauce reduces to a thick, sticky glaze that coats the meat. Watch closely at this stage as the sugary sauce can burn quickly.
- Taste and balance with a pinch of salt or palm sugar, remove the aromatics, and serve hot.
Method
- 1It is rich, sweet, savoury and faintly spicy all at once, and it is a firm favourite at family meals and warungs across the island. Unlike the chilli-forward, coconut-heavy classics, base manis is more approachable for those new to Balinese food, while still carrying genuine local character. It is also genuinely easy to make at home.
- 2Serves 4:
- 3For the spice paste:
- 4Pork belly gives the most luxurious result, with the fat melting into the sweet sauce. If you prefer something leaner, pork shoulder works well too and stays tender thanks to the slow braise.
- 5Kecap manis brands vary in sweetness and thickness, so add it gradually and taste as you go. You want the sauce sweet and savoury but not cloying; a squeeze of lime at the end brightens it nicely.
- 6Keep a close eye during the final reduction. The high sugar content of the sauce means it goes from perfectly sticky to scorched in a short time, so stir often and lower the heat if it starts to darken too fast.
- 7Serve be celeng base manis with steamed rice and a fresh, sharp sambal matah of raw shallots, chilli and lemongrass to cut the sweetness. It is a staple of the Balinese nasi campur plate and pairs beautifully with simple blanched greens.
Be Celeng Base Manis is a Balinese pork dish slow-braised with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and a base spice paste of shallots, garlic, chilli and aromatics. The pork becomes tender and glossy with a sweet-savoury glaze. Serve it with steamed rice for a classic island comfort meal.
- Dish type
- Braised pork main
- Key flavour
- Sweet soy (kecap manis)
- Origin
- Bali, Indonesia
- Served with
- Steamed rice
- Be Celeng Base Manis means sweet pork in Balinese cooking.
- Kecap manis gives the dish its signature sweet, glossy glaze.
- A base spice paste of shallots, garlic, chilli and aromatics builds depth.
- Slow braising makes the pork tender and richly flavoured.
- It is traditionally served with steamed white rice.