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rawon

Rawon Daging Khas Surabaya (Indonesian Black Beef Soup)

A traditional East Javanese beef soup with a deep black broth made from keluak (black nuts), fragrant herbs, and tender beef—rich, comforting, and unlike any stew you’ve ever tasted.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6 bowls
Course: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: East Java, Indonesian
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 lb 500 g beef brisket (daging sandung lamur), cut into cubes
  • 8 –10 cups 2–2.5 liters water
  • 2 stalks lemongrass serai, lightly smashed
  • 5 kaffir lime leaves daun jeruk, remove the center vein
  • 2 Indonesian bay leaves daun salam – substitute regular bay leaves if unavailable
  • 1- inch 2 cm piece galangal (lengkuas), smashed
  • 1 Tbsp tamarind water air asam jawa — mix 1 tsp tamarind paste with 1 Tbsp warm water
  • Salt sugar, and beef bouillon powder (kaldu sapi) to taste
Spice Paste (Bumbu Halus)
  • Blend together until smooth:
  • 10 shallots bawang merah
  • 5 garlic cloves bawang putih
  • 5 black nuts buah keluak – use only the inner flesh
  • 4 candlenuts kemiri, lightly toasted
  • ½ tsp ground coriander ketumbar bubuk, toasted
  • ½ inch 1 cm turmeric (kunyit), roasted or ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • ¼ cup 50 ml vegetable oil
Garnishes & Sides (Pelengkap)
  • Steamed rice nasi putih
  • Bean sprouts taoge pendek, blanched
  • Salted egg telur asin, halved
  • Fried shallots bawang goreng
  • Sliced scallions daun bawang
  • Chili paste or sambal oelek sambal
  • Emping crackers or pita chips for crunch

Instruction
 

  1. Parboil the beef
    Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add beef cubes and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and discard the water to remove impurities and excess fat.
  2. Simmer the beef
    Add fresh water (8–10 cups) to the pot. Return the beef and simmer over medium heat until partially tender, about 45 minutes.
  3. Prepare the spice paste
    Blend all the bumbu halus ingredients (shallots, garlic, keluak, candlenuts, coriander, turmeric, and oil) into a smooth paste. Add a splash of water if needed to blend easily.
  4. Sauté the paste
    Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the spice paste, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, and galangal.
    Sauté over medium heat until fragrant, darker in color, and the oil separates from the paste — this step builds deep flavor.
  5. Combine and simmer
    Transfer the sautéed spice mixture into the simmering beef pot. Stir well and add tamarind water, salt, sugar, and beef bouillon to taste.
    Continue cooking on low heat for another 30–45 minutes, until the beef is tender and the broth turns dark brown-black and aromatic.
  6. Serve
    Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve hot with steamed rice, bean sprouts, salted egg, fried shallots, scallions, and sambal on the side.
    Enjoy with emping or chips for extra crunch.

Notes

  • Keluak Substitute:
    If keluak is unavailable, mix 1 tsp fermented black bean paste, ¼ tsp cocoa powder, and ½ tsp dark miso paste to mimic its earthy, nutty flavor and dark color. It’s not identical but creates a similar depth.
  • Tamarind Water:
    Use tamarind concentrate from Indian or Mexican stores. If unavailable, replace with 1 tsp lime juice + ½ tsp brown sugar for a balanced tang.
  • Candlenuts:
    Substitute with macadamia nuts — they provide a similar creamy texture when blended.
  • Beef Options:
    You can use chuck roast or short ribs if brisket is unavailable. Slow-cook them for a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
  • Cooking Equipment:
    A slow cooker or Instant Pot works wonderfully — just sauté the spice paste first, then cook everything together for 1 hour on high pressure or 6–8 hours on low heat.
  • Serving Suggestion:
    For a Western-style presentation, serve Rawon in a deep bowl like beef stew, with jasmine rice or crusty bread on the side.
  • Authentic Rawon Surabaya is never served with lime or lemon — unlike Soto, which uses citrus for freshness. The slight tang in rawon comes from tamarind water (asam jawa) inside the broth, not from added lime juice.
  • In Surabaya, locals take pride in the depth of rawon’s flavor — dark, nutty, and full-bodied — without needing any citrus. Adding lime would be like squeezing lemon into a cup of espresso: it changes the soul of the dish.