Indonesian Recipes (Bali, Java) - Spicy Oxtail Soup (Rawon) Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 liters/8 1/2 pints (1 1/3 gallons) water

• 250 g/9 oz lean beef for soup oxtail (4 large or 8 small pieces)

• 3 kaffir lime leaves

• 1 stem lemon grass

• 1 piece galangal root, about 5 cm/2 in long

• salt

• pepper

• 1 medium tomato

• 2 small leeks

• 3 tablespoons spicy soup seasoning (Soto ayam recipe)

• 3 keluwek or 1 tablespoon keluwek paste

• 1 red chili

• 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil

• salt and pepper

Quantities for about 5 liters/8 1/2 pints/serves 6-8

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Method:

1. Bring the water to the boil. Cut the meat into cubes and add to the boiling water. Reduce heat and cook the meat over medium heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until it is tender.

2. Add all the herbs and spices: the kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, galangal root, salt and pepper. Then cook for a few more minutes.

3. Dice the tomatoes. Cut the leek onions into strips about 7 cm/3 in  long, cut the cut the chilies into thin rings.

4. Fry the spicy soup seasoning, ground keluwek or keluwek paste, diced tomatoes, chilies and leeks in groundnut or vegetable oil until the aroma has fully developed.

5. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add everything to the soup. This soup is served with rice, short soy bean (soybean) sprouts, Sambal trasi and Kerupuk (refer recipe).