Rawon Recipe: Indonesian Beef Soup

Rawon is a rich and hearty Indonesian black beef soup that is said to have originated in the city of Surabaya, located in East Java, Indonesia. The soup is made with a variety of spices, including galangal, turmeric, and coriander with the addition of keluak nut which provides the dish with a unique, deep, and nutty flavor, as well as the black color.

The beef is slow-cooked until it is fall-apart tender, and the resulting broth is thick and rich.

Rawon is typically served with rice and garnished with fried shallots and chilies.

While it may not be as well-known as other Indonesian food such as nasi goreng or rendang, rawon is a delicious stew that is definitely worth trying.

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Ingredients for Rawon

Rawon is a traditional Indonesian beef stew that is characterized by its rich, dark color. The ingredients for this dish are:

• 500 grams of beef chuck or beef rump cubes
• 2 tsp of white sugar
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 liters of water

Rawon Spice Paste

• 4 keluak seeds
• 7 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 4 cm galangal finely sliced
• 4 candlenuts, roughly chopped
• 1 lemongrass stem, finely sliced
• 2cm turmeric, peeled and chopped
• 1 red chili
• 1 tsp of coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

Notes on Ingredients:

Cuts of Beef

Beef chuck or beef shank are good cuts for rawon because they are tough cuts of meat that become very tender when cooked slowly. The connective tissue in the muscle breaks down, resulting in meat that is full of flavor and very moist. Beef rump will cook quicker.

Keluak Black Nuts

Keluak, are black nuts that are native to Indonesia. and are highly poisonous in their raw state, but they become safe to eat after they have been fermented for several months.

Instructions

1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the rawon spice ingredients into a smooth paste
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the blended ingredients (spice paste) and fry for 3 minutes to release the flavors.
3. Add the chuck (or beef rump cubes of beef and sear
4. Add the water, kaffir lime leaves, salt, pepper, and sugar.
5. Once the soup has reached boiling point, turn down to a low heat and simmer for at least 1 hour, until the meat is very tender.
6. Serve with rice or noodles, and one or all of sambal, boiled egg, bean sprouts, fried red chillies, and shrimp crackers.

Like many stews, rawon will improve over a day or two as the flavors develop and the flavors are absorbed into the meat. A perfect dish to make ahead of a dinner party. Just add freshly cooked rice to make the nasi rawon recipe.

Additional Notes for Rawon

Beef chuck or beef shank are good cuts for rawon because they are tough cuts of meat that become very tender when cooked slowly. The connective tissue in the muscle breaks down, resulting in meat that is full of flavor and very moist.

Tip: When choosing beef chuck for stew, look for a cut that has been trimmed of excess fat.

The dish gets its color from Keluak, a type of black nut that is native to Indonesia. Keluak nuts are highly poisonous in their raw state, but they become safe to eat after they have been fermented for several months. It is important to only use seeds that have been properly prepared.

Final Thoughts

Rawon is a delicious and hearty Indonesian soup from East Java that is perfect for cold winter days. You can serve it over rice, Nasi Rawon recipe, or by itself with a variety of toppings.

Let me know if you give the rawon recipe a try.

If you liked this rice recipe, try the Vietnamese Com Tam Broken Rice Recipe.