Rawon

Step 1: Put 1 ¾ lb beef shin or brisket in a large pot with cold water to cover and bring to the boil over a high heat. Boil 5 minutes, drain and rinse. Keep a separate board for the raw beef.

Step 2: Return the beef to the clean pot with 10 ½ cups water. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer gently, half covered, for 60 minutes.

Step 3: Meanwhile, soak the scooped-out 6 kluwek (keluak) nuts flesh in 3 tbsp hot water for 10 minutes until soft. Discard any piece that smells sour or looks pale and dry.

Step 4: Blend the soaked kluwek with 8 shallots, 5 cloves garlic, 2 large red chillies, 4 candlenuts, 1 ⅛ in galangal, 1 ⅛ in fresh ginger, ¾ in fresh turmeric and 1 tsp coriander seeds to a smooth, very dark paste.

Step 5: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the paste with 2 stalks lemongrass, 5 makrut lime leaves and 3 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam) for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until it is glossy, almost black and smells toasty.

Step 6: Lift the beef out and cut it into 2 cm cubes. Stir the fried paste into the broth with 2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp palm sugar, return the beef and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the meat is very tender and the soup is inky black.

Step 7: Taste and adjust; it should be savoury and earthy with only a faint bitterness. If it tastes bitter, you've probably used too much kluwek — add a little more salt and sugar rather than more paste.

Step 8: Blanch 5 ½ oz bean sprouts in boiling water for 20 seconds and drain. Serve the soup in bowls with 6 portions steamed rice alongside, topped with bean sprouts and 3 spring onions, with 3 salted duck eggs, 1 handful prawn crackers and 4 tbsp sambal terasi on the table.