Rawon

Rawon is a unique Indonesian dish with origins in East Java. This flavorful soup is usually made with slow-braised beef and other traditional Indonesian ingredients such as lime leaves, lemongrass, ginger, and chili. However, the key element is buah kluwek, the Indonesian black nut.

This unusual Indonesian spice is highly toxic when raw, and always needs to be fermented before consumption. It is ground with other ingredients and spices, giving the dish its earthy and sour taste and the unique dark black color. The origin of the dish is believed to be the city of Surabaya, the capital of East Java.

Primarily prepared as a plebeian dish, it soon became a favorite among royalty and quickly grew in popularity. Today it can easily be found on the menus of numerous traditional Indonesian restaurants. It is usually served alongside plain rice, salted eggs, bean sprouts, and sambal - a spicy Indonesian chili paste.