This is one of the many barbecued dishes that are served by the sea at Jimbaran. In what was formally a rustic coastal eating place dotted with simple grass huts, there are now hundreds of bamboo tables and chairs perched on the sand, and tonnes of seafood being served, from prawns to lobster and snapper to squid, for eager tourists. The secret at Jimbaran is cooking the seafood over coconut husks for a delectable smokiness, and the moist heat of the husks creates tender meat with glazed and burnished skin without dryness. If you are flying into Denpasar at night, the smoke from the barbecues at Jimbaran bay looks like an enormous bushfire.
This is a simple marinade and you can add any additional herbs. A bonus is that the marinade can be prepared up to two weeks in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
MARINADE
- 100 ml vegetable or peanut oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1–2 tablespoons kecap manis
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 5 kaffir lime leaves, rolled into a bundle and finely shredded 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 kg squid, cleaned
Tomato Sambal (page 000) to serve lime wedges to serve
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Cut the squid into 10 cm tubes and quarter the tentacles lengthwise. Add to the marinade, coating well, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Heat a barbecue grill. Lift the squid out of the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally and basting with the marinade, until golden brown and just cooked. It should only take a few minutes.
Serve with tomato sambal and wedges of lime.
Serves 4
Discover more recipes in my book Bali: Food of My Island Home