Woku Bebek
Manado aromatic duck stew with basil and lemongrass
The recipe
Woku Bebek is the signature duck dish of Manado — a complex, aromatic stew of duck cooked in a spice paste of turmeric, ginger, candlenuts, lemongrass, and *daun kemangi* (lemon basil), with the heat coming from bird's eye chilies and the depth from daun salam and pandan. The duck is typically first braised until tender, then the woku paste is added and the dish is cooked covered to absorb the flavors. The result is a fragrant, slightly spicy, herbaceous stew that is the pride of Minahasan cuisine. Woku comes in many versions — woku ayam (chicken), woku ikan (fish), woku udang (shrimp) — but duck is the most celebrated.
Ingredients
Method
💡 Tips from the kitchen
- ·Kemangi (lemon basil) is non-negotiable. Find it at an Asian market or substitute with Thai basil + a squeeze of lime.
- ·The paste should be aromatic and chunky — that's the signature texture of woku.
- ·Use a whole duck if you can — the fat makes the dish richer.
The story
Did you know?
🇮🇩 Indonesia has 17,000+ islands — only 6,000 are inhabited.
Cook it yourself
Woku Bebek is one of Indonesia's heritage dishes. Want to try the recipe at home?
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