Name: Rawon (Javanese Black Beef Soup)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 350 g Beef Chuck, cut into bite-size cubes; 3 cup Beef Stock, or water with bones; 3 Keluak Nuts, processed flesh only, mashed; 5 Shallots, roughly chopped; 4 clove Garlic, roughly chopped; 1 inch Galangal, sliced; 1 Lemongrass, bruised; 2 Indonesian Bay Leaves, daun salam; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric, for depth; 1 tsp Coriander Seeds, lightly crushed; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds, lightly crushed; 1 tsp Palm Sugar, for balance; ½ tsp Tamarind Paste, for gentle tang; 1½ tbsp Cooking Oil, for frying spice paste; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¾ cup Bean Sprouts, for serving; 2 tbsp Fried Shallots, for garnish; ½ Lemon, cut into wedges

1 hr 55 mintotal

Prep 25 min · Cook 1 hr 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Hard
Spice: Medium

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Method

Blend the shallots, garlic, mashed processed keluak flesh, turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, tamarind paste, and a splash of water into a dark paste.
Heat the measured cooking oil in a heavy pot. Fry the paste until fragrant, dark, and slightly glossy.
Add the beef and stir until the pieces are coated in the black spice paste.
Add the beef stock, galangal, lemongrass, Indonesian bay leaves, palm sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
Simmer gently until the beef is tender and the broth turns deep black-brown and aromatic.
Remove the lemongrass, galangal, and bay leaves if preferred. Serve hot with bean sprouts, fried shallots, and lemon wedges.

How to tell it's done

The broth should be dark, aromatic, spoonable, and brothy rather than thick like a curry.

Getting it right

Tip

Fry the keluak paste thoroughly before adding stock; this deepens the flavor and gives the broth its signature dark color.

What to serve it with

Serve with steamed rice, bean sprouts, fried shallots, and lemon wedges.

Common mistakes

The broth tastes harsh or muddy.: Use processed keluak flesh, fry the paste until glossy, and simmer gently while skimming as needed.

Substitutions

Keluak is essential to rawon’s identity; without it, the dish becomes a different beef soup.
Use only properly processed edible keluak flesh from a reliable source.
Use beef shank instead of beef chuck for a richer broth, but cooking time may increase.
If Indonesian bay leaves are unavailable, omit them rather than using a strong bay leaf substitute that changes the flavor profile.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate rawon broth and beef for up to 4 days. Reheat gently and add fresh bean sprouts and fried shallots at serving; freeze broth and beef for up to 2 months.

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Ingredients