Babi Kecap Bali – Indonesian Slow Cooked Sweet Soy Pork
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Babi Kecap (babi ketjap) is an Indonesian dish of pork slow-cooked in sweet soy sauce with warm spices like coriander, ginger, and star anise. The result is tender, flavorful pork with a slightly sweet, savory, and mildly spiced sauce.
Babi Kecap translates to “Pork in Soy Sauce.” This Balinese sweet soy pork is a comforting dish usually served with steamed rice or lontong rice cakes. For extra flavor, add a side of acar campur (mixed vegetable pickle) and sprinkle fried shallots on top.
See more traditional recipes in the collection of Indonesian main dishes.
How to Make Indonesian Sweet Soy Pork
To make Babi Kecap, sear pork belly until golden brown, then slow-cook it with garlic, shallots, sweet soy sauce, and warm spices. The dish is simmered until the pork becomes tender and the sauce thickens, coating the meat with rich flavors.
The sauce should be thick, similar to syrup or a glaze. To reach this consistency, allow the sauce to reduce during the final stage of cooking. Simmer it without a lid for 15-30 minutes, to thicken and develop the rich brown or black color characteristic of this dish.
Pork belly works wonderfully in this dish because the fat renders down during cooking, creating a rich and flavorful sauce. If you prefer a slightly leaner result, you can trim some of the excess fat before cooking. You can use pork shoulder or neck if pork belly is unavailable.
Continue below for the full recipe with ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
Babi Kecap (Balinese Pork)
Babi Kecap Bali is an Indonesian dish of pork simmered in the slow cooker with sweet soy sauce and warm spices. The tender pork and thick sauce pair perfectly with steamed rice.
Cook the pork in a slow cooker on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours.
Ingredients
- 14 oz pork belly slices, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 makrut lime leaves (jeruk purut)
- 2 shallots, finely sliced
- ½ cup sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1–2 red chilies, sliced (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp ground coriander (ketoembar)
- 1 tsp ground ginger or 1 cm fresh ginger, grated
- 1 star anise pod
- 1 cup stock
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (for searing)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Fried shallots and chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork pieces until golden on both sides. Transfer the seared pork to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, sauté garlic, makrut lime leaves, and sliced shallots until fragrant (2–3 minutes).
- Add sweet soy sauce, palm sugar, ground coriander, and ground ginger. Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the pork in the slow cooker. Add star anise, red chilies, and stock. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours until pork is tender.
- Let simmer uncovered for the last 15–30 minutes to help it thicken.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more sweet soy sauce if needed. Remove star anise and makrut lime leaves before serving.
- Serve with rice and garnish with fried shallots and green onions if desired.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed.
Freeze in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 541Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1588mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 3gSugar: 37gProtein: 30g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated. These figures should be considered estimates.
