Tum Ayam Bali (Balinese Steamed Chicken in Banana Leaves)

Chicken along with Balinese spice paste (bumbu genep) is mixed together and then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed to perfection. A simple dish with complex flavor you will enjoy. Also a visual tutorial on how to wrap the tum.

If you have tasted Balinese food before, you will probably agree that it is so rich and intense in flavor (in a good way). I absolutely love it. Typical of Indonesian food (or Southeast Asian food in general), Balinese food also uses LOTS of spices and herbs that create that amazing complex flavor that you will only understand once you’ve tasted it.

What it tum ayam?

Tum is one of Balinese popular ways of cooking where the food is usually wrapped tightly in banana leaves and then steamed or grilled. Similar to the Javanese pepes. The chicken is usually finely minced and then mix with myriad of spices and herbs that the Balinese usually prepare ahead of time called bumbu genep. Bumbu genep is a base used in many other Balinese cooking. The chicken and spice mixture is then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
Tum ayam is one of Balinese popular chicken dishes, besides ayam betutu, ayam suwir pedas, and lawar ayam.

How to make tum ayam bali

1. Prepare the bumbu genep
Traditionally, all the ingredients are prepared using mortar and pestle (ulekan). I use food processor for convenience 🙂 (or I should say I’m just lazy). Put all the ingredients for bumbu genep in a food processor or blender and process into a paste. Heat up a wok or skillet. Stir fry the spice paste until fragrant over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Have a taste and adjust seasonings to your taste Remove from the heat and let it cools down a little bit before mixing it with the chicken

2. Mix the cooked spice paste with chicken, add coconut milk and egg. Stir to combine everything to form a paste

3. Here’s how to wrap tum ayam: Get one sheet of banana leaves, about 30 x 30 cm in size, roughly. Start kinda off-center a bit (where I pointed)

4. Push the leaf in with your finger and pinch together to create a fold (I’m horrible with text description. I hope the photos help LOL)

5. Put one portion of the chicken

6. Put one fresh bay leaf or two dried ones and few thin strips of cayenne pepper

7. Do the same fold on the other side

8. Fold one side over

9. Fold the other side over, so they are overlapping

10. Secure with a toothpick or skewer (cut into shorter piece)

11. I use Instant pot pressure cooker to cook the chicken. Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot of instant pot. Set a trivet or a steaming basket in there. Arrange the packs on top

12. Close the lid. Turn the steam release valve to “sealing”. Press “pressure cooker” and make sure it’s on high pressure. Set the timer to 3 minutes and then do natural release. Carefully unlock the lid and use a tong to remove one pack and check to make sure it’s cooked through. If it is, remove the rest from the inner pot. If not, cook for another minute and check again

13. Serve warm. Remove the bay leaves before eating

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Tum Ayam Bali (Balinese Steamed Chicken in Banana Leaves)

Marvellina

5 from 1 review

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Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

6 packs (depending on the size)

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

0.5x1x2x3x

• 500 gr Boneless skinlles chicken breast
• 1 large egg about 58-60 grams with shell, lightly beaten
• 150 ml thick coconut milk

Spice paste (bumbu genep):

• 5 shallots
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 cayenne peppers more or less to your taste
• 1 inch turmeric or 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 inch galangal or 2 tsp galangal powder
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 inch Kencur or 2 tsp kencur powder, omit if you don't have any
• 2 stalks lemongrass white part only, cut into small pieces
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 4 candlenuts sub with macadamia nuts
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp shrimp paste toasted
• 2 Tbsp palm sugar sub with coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp cooking oil
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• Salt to taste

For wrapping:

• 6 bay leaves 12 pieces if using dried bay leaves
• 1 cayenne peppers cut into strips
• Banana leaves for wrapping, or use aluminum foil
• Toothpicks

Equipment

• Electric food steamer
• Instant Pot

Method

 

1. Clean the banana leaves by rinsing with water. You can soften the leaves by soaking in warm water and then wipe them dry or by holding the leave on top of the fire on the stove to let the heat soften the leaves too. Cut into about 6 pieces of 30 x 30 cm

Prepare the spice paste (bumbu genep):

1. The spice paste can be prepared few days before and kept in the fridge for up to 7 days. Put all the ingredients for bumbu genep in a food processor or blender and process into a paste
2. Heat up a wok or skillet. You don't need to add anymore oil as there's already oil in the spice paste you prepare earlier. Stir fry the spice paste until fragrant over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Have a taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Remove from the heat and let it cools down a little bit before mixing it with the chicken

Prepare the chicken:

1. You can finely mince the chicken into fine pieces or cut them into thin slices. Alternatively, you can also use ground chicken meat
2. Mix the cooked spice paste with chicken, add coconut milk and egg. Stir to combine everything to form a paste

Wrapping:

1. Please refer to the photos above for visual if you are not sure how to wrap. Alternatively, you can wrap it like a parcel too to make it less complicated
2. Divide the chicken mixture into roughly six equal portions. Put one portion on the banana leaves. Top with one fresh bay leaves or 2 dried bay leaves, and few strips of cayenne peppers and wrap it up and secure with a toothpick

Pressure cooking with Instant Pot:

1. Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot of instant pot. Set a trivet or a steaming basket in there. Arrange the packs on top. Close the lid. Turn the steam release valve to "sealing". Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on high pressure. Set the timer to 3 minutes and then do natural release. Carefully unlock the lid and use a tong to remove one pack and check to make sure it's cooked through. If it is, remove the rest from the inner pot. If not, cook for another minute and check again. Serve warm

Steaming on the stove:

1. Bring the water in the steamer to a boil. Put the packs inside the steamer and steam over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. You can take one pack out to check for doneness. Serve warm. Remove the bay leaves before eating

*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*

Serving: 1pack | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

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