Rawon (East Javanese Black Beef Soup)
A deep, almost black beef soup from East Java, coloured and flavoured by kluwek nuts and a fragrant paste of shallots, garlic and galangal. Served over rice with bean sprouts, salted egg and crunchy fried shallots.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Simmer the beef
Put the beef chunks and water in a large, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the grey foam that rises, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for about 75 minutes.
- 800 g beef
- 2.5 litres water
✅ Done when: the beef is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork but still holds its shape
Make the kluwek paste
Soak the kluwek flesh in the warm water for 10 minutes to soften it, then drain. Blend the kluwek with the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, and ginger into a smooth, dark paste, adding a splash of the soaking water if needed.
- 6 kluwek flesh
- 150 ml warm water
- 8 shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 candlenuts
- 3 cm turmeric
- 3 cm
- 3 cm ginger
✅ Done when: the paste is smooth with no visible chunks
Fry the paste
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Combine and simmer
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Blanch the bean sprouts
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Serve the soup
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Simmer the beef
Put the beef chunks and water in a large, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the grey foam that rises, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for about 75 minutes.
- 800 g beef
- 2.5 litres water
✅ Done when: the beef is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork but still holds its shape
Make the kluwek paste
Soak the kluwek flesh in the warm water for 10 minutes to soften it, then drain. Blend the kluwek with the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, and ginger into a smooth, dark paste, adding a splash of the soaking water if needed.
- 6 kluwek flesh
- 150 ml warm water
- 8 shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 candlenuts
- 3 cm turmeric
- 3 cm
- 3 cm ginger
✅ Done when: the paste is smooth with no visible chunks
Fry the paste
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Combine and simmer
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Blanch the bean sprouts
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Serve the soup
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The Story Behind the Dish
Rawon comes from East Java, where kluwek nuts grow and have long been used to colour and flavour food. The soup is closely tied to towns such as Ponorogo and Nganjuk, and its deep black broth made it instantly recognisable in markets and roadside warungs across the region.
Over time, rawon spread across East Java and beyond, becoming a beloved comfort food served at home, in simple eateries and at celebrations alike. It remains one of the clearest examples of how a single local ingredient can define an entire regional cuisine.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Rawon is famous for its striking black colour and its deep, savoury, slightly bitter-sweet flavour from kluwek, unlike any other beef soup in Indonesia.
💡 Fun Fact
The kluwek nut is mildly toxic when raw and must be properly fermented and cooked before eating, a step passed down through generations of cooks.
East Java, Indonesia
-7.87°S, 111.46°E
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