Indonesian
Gluten freeSoto Betawi
Beef and coconut milk soup
Soto Betawi — Jakarta beef soup in a creamy coconut and milk broth
Jakarta's original Betawi community gave the capital this rich, pale-gold soup, and on a Sunday the soto Betawi stalls along the city's side streets are packed with families. Beef brisket (and, for many, tripe) simmers until tender, then goes into a gently spiced broth made creamy with coconut milk and a splash of fresh milk, scented with lemongrass, cinnamon and cloves. Each bowl is loaded with fried potato, raw tomato and spring onion and comes with rice, lime, sambal and bitter-crisp emping crackers. It's comforting and mellow rather than fiery. Chef's tip: for a dairy-free bowl, swap the milk for more coconut milk; the soup will be a little heavier but just as good.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 520 kcal
Ingredients
For the beef
- 1 ⅓ lb beef brisketin one piece
- 7 oz beef tripe (optional)cleaned and ready-blanched
- 8 ¼ cups water
For the paste
- 8 shallotspeeled
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 candlenutsor macadamia nuts
- 1 ⅛ in fresh gingerpeeled
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the broth
- 2 stalks lemongrassbruised
- 1 cinnamon stickabout 5 cm
- 3 cloves
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- 1 ¼ cups whole milkor more coconut milk for dairy free
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
To serve
- 14 oz waxy potatoespeeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 4 tbsp vegetable oilfor frying the potatoes
- 2 tomatoescut into wedges
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 2 limescut into wedges
- 3 tbsp fried shallots (optional)
- 1 handful emping (melinjo crackers) (optional)
- 4 tbsp chilli sambal (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅓ lb beef brisket and 7 oz beef tripe in a pot with 8 ¼ cups water, using a separate board for raw meat. Bring to the boil over a high heat, skim well, then simmer gently, half covered, for 50 minutes until a skewer slides in easily.
50 minStep 2: Meanwhile, blend 8 shallots, 5 cloves garlic, 4 candlenuts, 1 ⅛ in fresh ginger, 1 tbsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground white pepper and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg to a smooth paste.
3 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the paste with 2 stalks lemongrass, 4 makrut lime leaves, 1 cinnamon stick and 3 cloves for 6–8 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates.
8 minStep 4: Fry 14 oz waxy potatoes in 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a separate pan over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes, turning, until golden and tender. Drain on kitchen paper.
15 minStep 6: Turn the heat to low and pour in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and 1 ¼ cups whole milk, stirring. Heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until steaming. Don't let it boil, or the coconut milk will split into oily flecks.
5 minStep 7: Put fried potato, 2 tomatoes and 3 spring onions in each bowl, ladle in the soup and meat and top with 3 tbsp fried shallots. Serve with 2 limes, 1 handful emping (melinjo crackers), 4 tbsp chilli sambal and rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does soto Betawi take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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