Soto Betawi : Easy Cooking, Fantastic Taste
🍲 Ingredients :
(Main) :
* 500 grams beef (preferably shank or brisket), cut into cubes
* 200 grams beef offal (lung, tripe) — optional, cut into pieces
* 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
* 4 kaffir lime leaves
* 3 cm ginger, bruised
* 3 cm galangal, bruised
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
* 1 liter water
* 200 ml thick coconut milk (you can substitute with fresh milk for a lighter version)
* 100 ml fresh milk (optional, for a creamier broth)
* Cooking oil, as needed
(Spice paste) :
* 6 shallots
* 4 garlic cloves
* 3 candlenuts, toasted
* 1 tsp ground coriander
* 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
* Salt and sugar to taste
🔪 How to Make It :
1. Boil the beef and offal in water with lemongrass, bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, and galangal until tender (about 1 to 1.5 hours).
Pro tip: Keep the heat low to get a clear broth and richer flavor.
2. Drain the beef and offal, and cut into bite-sized pieces if you haven’t done so yet.
3. Saute the spice paste in a bit of oil until fragrant and cooked through.
4. Add the sautéed spices into the beef broth, stir well.
5. Pour in the coconut milk and fresh milk, stir gently so the coconut milk doesn’t curdle.
6. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally until the broth is heated through and the flavors blend. Avoid boiling too hard to keep the coconut milk creamy.
7. Add the beef and offal pieces back into the pot, warm through
8. Adjust the seasoning with salt and sugar to your taste.
🍽 Serving Suggestions:
Serve your Soto Betawi hot with:
* Steamed white rice or lontong (rice cakes)
* Fresh tomato slices
* Crispy fried shallots
* Spicy chili sauce (sambal)
* A squeeze of lime for extra zing
* Emping crackers or regular crackers for crunch
💡 Extra Tips:
* For a lighter broth, replace coconut milk with just fresh milk.
* You can skip the offal if it’s not your thing or swap it with other parts you like.
* Don’t boil the coconut milk too long or it might split.
* Adding fresh spring onions or celery on top gives a nice fresh aroma.
