Rawon (East Javanese Black Beef Soup)
In short: Tender beef in a dark, nutty, deeply savory soup colored with black keluak nuts, served with bean sprouts, egg, sambal and rice. It takes about 3 h in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 h 30 min
- Total
- 3 h
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 350 kcal
Rawon is the dark beef soup of East Java, famous for its near-black color and earthy, nutty flavor. The color comes from keluak, the seeds of a tropical tree, which are blended into a spice paste with shallots, galangal and turmeric. The soup is served over rice with salted egg, fresh bean sprouts and sambal. It is rich without being heavy and improves after a day in the fridge.
Instructions
- Put the beef, water, lemongrass, lime leaves, bay leaves and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then lower to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for 1 hour, skimming now and then, until the beef is half tender.
- Blend all the spice paste ingredients except the oil with about 100 ml (1/3 cup) of the cooking liquid until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the paste for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until it smells toasted and the oil begins to separate.
- Scrape the paste into the soup and stir well. Simmer, partly covered, for 60 to 90 minutes, until the beef is very tender and the broth is dark and rich.
- Taste and adjust with salt. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 20 seconds.
- Serve the soup over rice with bean sprouts, egg, spring onions, sambal and lime. Prawn crackers on the side are traditional.
Tips
- Keluak (also sold as kepayang or pangium nuts) comes in jars or vacuum packs at Southeast Asian shops. Without it, grind 2 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds with a spoon of water for a similar dark, nutty note.
- Add a little tamarind water at the end if the soup tastes flat. Rawon should be savory and slightly earthy, with only a faint sourness.
Questions and answers
Why is rawon black?
The color comes from keluak nuts, which are fermented and blended into the spice paste. They give both the dark shade and a deep, nutty flavor that nothing else quite matches.
Can I make rawon in a pressure cooker?
Yes. Cook the beef with the aromatics under pressure for 25 minutes, then add the fried paste and simmer for 20 minutes to blend the flavors.
How do you serve rawon?
Over steamed rice with fresh bean sprouts, a salted or boiled egg, sambal, lime and a few prawn crackers. The sprouts add a fresh crunch against the rich soup.
How long does it take to make Rawon (East Javanese Black Beef Soup)?
About 3 h in total: 30 min of preparation and 2 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Rawon (East Javanese Black Beef Soup)?
About 350 kcal per serving, with 35 g of protein, 8 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 350 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
