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Indonesian Rawon

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Indonesian rawon with dark keluak beef broth, rice, bean sprouts, salted egg, and fried shallots.
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Rawon is East Java’s celebrated beef soup, recognizable by the savory nearly black broth produced by prepared keluak nuts.

A slowly cooked spice paste gives the broth depth while gentle simmering keeps the beef tender and naturally textured.

Use only culinary prepared keluak and keep the broth at a quiet simmer rather than a rolling boil.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with steamed rice, bean sprouts, salted egg, fried shallots, sambal, and fresh lime.

Dark rawon broth being ladled over natural slices of braised beef with bean sprouts nearby.

Recipe Notes

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate beef in its broth for up to three days.

Indonesian rawon with dark keluak beef broth, rice, bean sprouts, salted egg, and fried shallots.

Indonesian Rawon

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East Javanese beef soup with a deeply savory keluak broth, rice, sprouts, salted egg, and fried shallots.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: East Javanese, Indonesian
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Beef and Broth
  • 2 lb beef chuck cut into large irregular pieces
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 stalks lemongrass bruised
  • 4 whole makrut lime leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
Keluak Spice Paste
  • 4 whole prepared culinary keluak nuts flesh removed
  • 6 medium shallots peeled
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 inches fresh turmeric peeled
  • 1 inch fresh ginger peeled
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
To Serve
  • 3 cups cooked white rice
  • 2 cups bean sprouts rinsed
  • 3 large salted duck eggs boiled and halved
  • 1/2 cup fried shallots
  • 3 whole limes cut into wedges

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven
  • Blender or mortar and pestle
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Chef’s knife

Method
 

Make the Paste:
  1. Blend or pound the keluak flesh, shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, coriander, and cumin into a coarse paste.
  2. Cook the paste in the oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
Simmer the Rawon:
  1. Add the beef and turn it through the paste for 5 minutes. Add broth, lemongrass, lime leaves, salt, and sugar.
  2. Bring just to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 85 to 95 minutes until the beef is tender. Skim excess fat and adjust salt.
Serve:
  1. Slice or tear the beef into natural pieces and return it to the smooth dark broth.
  2. Ladle into bowls and serve with rice, sprouts, salted egg, fried shallots, and lime.

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 36gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 930mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5g

Notes

  • Use only food-grade prepared keluak; raw or improperly processed nuts are not suitable for cooking.
  • The soup keeps refrigerated for three days and tastes even deeper after resting overnight.

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