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1
Prepare a charcoal grill and allow it to reach a steady, glowing heat with no raw flame. Lay the husked cobs directly over the coals. Turn them regularly until the kernels are opaque and show the first char marks on the raised faces — this is the visual signal that the corn is cooking through.
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2
Combine the margarine or butter, kecap manis, and chilli into a basting mixture. Once the corn has taken initial colour, begin basting generously with the mixture at each turn. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies: the baste must be applied repeatedly over the coals so that the kecap manis caramelises onto the kernels without burning — too little basting leaves the corn plain, too much heat after basting turns the sugars bitter. The cob is ready when the baste has set to a lacquered, deeply coloured glaze and the caramel smell rises sharply from the grill.
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3
Remove the cobs from the grill. Press any remaining baste over the hot surface so residual heat melts it into the kernels. The glaze should be tacky to the touch, not wet.