Indonesian Soto Betawi

Name: Indonesian Soto Betawi
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Soup
Ingredients: 1 kg beef brisket; 2 liters of water; 3 lemongrass stalks; 4 kaffir lime leaves; 3 bay leaves; 1 cinnamon stick; 6 shallots; 4 cloves of garlic; 2 teaspoons coriander seeds; 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder; 1-inch fresh ginger; Salt and pepper; 400 ml coconut milk; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 100 grams fried shallots; 2 green onions; 1 lime

Traditional Indonesian Beef Soup with Coconut Milk

Soto Betawi is a rich and aromatic beef soup from Jakarta that combines tender chunks of beef with creamy coconut milk, warm spices, and a medley of comforting flavors.

3 h
6
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Beef Broth

1 kg beef brisket

cut into chunks

2 liters of water

3 lemongrass stalks

bruised

4 kaffir lime leaves

3 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

For the Spice Paste

6 shallots

peeled

4 cloves of garlic

peeled

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon nutmeg powder

1-inch fresh ginger

peeled

Salt and pepper

to taste

For the Coconut Milk Mixture

400 ml coconut milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

For the Garnish

100 grams fried shallots

2 green onions

sliced

1 lime

cut into wedges

Preparation

Marinating the Beef

Combine and Boil

In a large pot, combine beef chunks and water, bringing to a boil.

Let the beef rest in the broth for additional flavor if time allows.

Add Aromatics

Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick.

Simmer

Simmer for 1.5 hours until beef is tender.

Monitor the broth carefully to skim off any impurities.

Preparing the Spice Paste

Blend Spices

Blend shallots, garlic, coriander seeds, nutmeg, and ginger into a smooth paste.

Season Paste

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sauté Paste

In a separate pan, sauté the spice paste in oil over medium heat until fragrant.

Cooking Process

Building the Flavor

Incorporate the sautéed spice paste into the beef broth.

Coconut Enrichment

Add coconut milk to the mixture, stirring constantly to avoid curdling.

Final Simmer

Bring the entire mixture to a gentle simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Plating & Serving