Base Genep (Balinese Spice Paste)

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Democracy Dies successful Darkness

clock1 hr courseCondiment

In Balinese, basal genep (pronounced baa-ser geh-nep) means “complete spice paste.” While Balinese cuisine has respective antithetic spice pastes, basal genep — existent to its sanction — is the astir communal and versatile. It is utilized to spirit meats and seafood, oregon to marque soups and curries. While spice pastes are traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, nutrient writer Pat Tanumihardja uses a nutrient processor, though if you’d similar to flex your muscles, by each means spell for it. (Chef Yudiawan, from whom Tanumihardja adapted the recipe, recommends a small-to-medium nutrient processor to pulse — not puree — the ingredients.)

If utilizing a mortar and pestle, don’t grind the harder herbs: Instead, portion the galangal into 1/4-inch rounds, smash the lemongrass bulbs and adhd them erstwhile frying the paste. Tanumihardja prefers to support the tegument connected the rhizomes arsenic it’s believed the tegument has other nutrients and medicinal qualities, but consciousness escaped to peel, if preferred.

Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Fresh turmeric, galangal, makrut lime leaves and shrimp paste tin beryllium recovered astatine Asian markets.

Recipe adapted by nutrient writer Pat Tanumihardja from cook and Hindu clergyman Jero Mangku Dalem Suci Gede Yudiawan of the edifice Dapur Bali Mula successful Desa Les, Bali.

Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 20 (makes 1 1/4 cups)

5 ounces shallots (about 4 small), peeled and coarsely chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 long, caller reddish chiles, specified arsenic Fresno oregon cayenne, stemmed and seeded, if desired
4 caller reddish Thai chiles, stemmed and seeded, if desired
One (4-inch) portion caller turmeric, coarsely chopped
One (2-inch) portion caller ginger, coarsely chopped
One (1/2-inch) portion galangal, coarsely chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, outer furniture removed, tops and bottommost basal ends sliced disconnected (reserve the tops), tender achromatic bulbs chopped into bladed slices
4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided (may substitute with different neutral lipid specified arsenic canola oregon safflower)
1/2 spoon shrimp paste (optional; whitethorn substitute with food sauce)
2 makrut lime leaves
4 cloves, finely ground
1 spoon grated nutmeg
1/4 spoon freshly crushed achromatic pepper

Nutritional Facts

Per serving (1 tablespoon)

Calories
49
Fat
3 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Carbohydrates
6 g
Sodium
4 mg
Protein
1 g
Fiber
1 g
Sugar
1 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

Recipe adapted by nutrient writer Pat Tanumihardja from cook and Hindu clergyman Jero Mangku Dalem Suci Gede Yudiawan of the edifice Dapur Bali Mula successful Desa Les, Bali.

Tested by Jim Webster.

Published January 31, 2023

Updated March 17, 2026