🍲

Rawon (East Javanese Black Beef Soup)

Name: Rawon (East Javanese Black Beef Soup)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian (East Javanese)
Ingredients: 1 kg beef Beef brisket; 8 butir Kluwek (black nut) (soak 30 min, scoop out flesh); 100 g Shallots (≈ 8 pieces); 30 g Garlic (≈ 4 cloves); 30 g Red chili (≈ 2 pieces); 5 g Turmeric (small for color); 20 g Toasted candlenuts (≈ 4 nuts); 1 sdt Ground coriander; 20 g Ginger (≈ 2 cm); 2 batang Lemongrass (bruised); 4 lembar Kaffir lime leaves; 2 lembar Bay leaves; 3 cm Galangal; 2000 ml Water; 10 g Salt (≈ 2 tsp); 15 g Palm sugar (≈ 1 tbsp)

East Javanese black beef soup with kluwek (black nut) broth. Sajian Sedap recipe.

Servings

Total Time

2-2.5 hours

Want to scale this recipe?

Use the Indonesian Spice Calculator — enter the amount of meat/chicken/chili you need and all spices auto-scale proportionally.

Ingredients

Main Ingredient

▸1 kg beef Beef brisket

Spice Paste

▸8 butir Kluwek (black nut) (soak 30 min, scoop out flesh)
▸100 g Shallots (≈ 8 pieces)
▸30 g Garlic (≈ 4 cloves)
▸30 g Red chili (≈ 2 pieces)
▸5 g Turmeric (small for color)
▸20 g Toasted candlenuts (≈ 4 nuts)
▸1 sdt Ground coriander
▸20 g Ginger (≈ 2 cm)

Whole Spices & Aromatics

▸2 batang Lemongrass (bruised)
▸4 lembar Kaffir lime leaves
▸2 lembar Bay leaves
▸3 cm Galangal

Liquids

▸2000 ml Water

Seasoning & Garnishes

▸10 g Salt (≈ 2 tsp)
▸15 g Palm sugar (≈ 1 tbsp)

Instructions

1
Soak the kluwek (black nut) in hot water for 15 minutes, then scoop out the flesh. Blend the kluwek with other spices (shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, ginger, coriander) until smooth.
2
Sauté the paste with bruised lemongrass, salam leaves, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal until fragrant and the color turns blackish (5-10 minutes).
3
Pour in water, add beef pieces. Simmer until beef is tender (1.5-2 hours).
4
Taste and adjust salt, sugar, and pepper. The broth should be the deep black color characteristic of rawon.
5
Serve hot broth in bowls with rice, raw short bean sprouts, salted egg, shrimp crackers, and shrimp paste sambal.

Cooking Tips

●Pick heavy, hard kluwek — light ones may be hollow/bad.
●Soak kluwek in hot water 30 min, then crack and scoop out flesh.
●Brisket is best cut — fat creates rich broth, meat stays tender.
●Serve with: rice, short bean sprouts, salted egg, crackers, sambal terasi.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to cook Rawon (East Javanese Black Beef Soup)?▾

2-2.5 hours total (PT30M prep + PT2H cook). For the most authentic result, don't rush — especially the slow reduction stages.

How many servings does this recipe yield?▾

8 servings from 1 kg beef of main ingredient. For larger gatherings, use the spice scaling calculator — all spices scale proportionally.

Where does this recipe come from? Is it authentic?▾

Base recipe sourced from Sajian Sedap, NCC. All references are publicly available and widely cited among Indonesian home cooks.

Can I substitute ingredients I can't find?▾

Core spices (chilies, shallots, herbs) define the flavor identity and shouldn't be substituted. Garnishes and add-ons can be adjusted. See cooking tips below for guidance.