East Javanese Rawon (Black Kluwek Beef Soup)

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless beef chuck, brisket or shank, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 9 cups water, plus more as needed
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 8 Asian shallots or 3 large Western shallots, peeled and chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 commercially processed culinary kluwek nuts, about 3 oz dark flesh, or 3 oz ready-to-use kluwek paste
• 4 candlenuts, toasted, or 6 unsalted macadamia nuts
• 1 1/2-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled, or 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp cooked shrimp paste, optional
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp mixed with 2 tbsp warm water and strained
• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised and tied in knots
• 2-inch piece galangal, sliced and bruised
• 5 makrut lime leaves, torn
• 2 Indonesian bay leaves, optional
• 1 tsp grated palm sugar or dark brown sugar
• 6 cups hot cooked jasmine rice, for serving
• 2 cups short mung-bean sprouts, rinsed and well drained
• Fried shallots, lime wedges and sambal terasi, for serving
• 3 salted duck eggs, halved, and shrimp or melinjo crackers, optional

Method

1. 1.Put the beef, water and 1 teaspoon salt in a heavy 6-quart pot. Bring slowly to a boil over medium-high heat, skim the gray foam, then reduce to a bare simmer. Partially cover and cook for 45 minutes while preparing the bumbu.
2. 2.Crack only commercially processed whole kluwek. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and inspect each piece; discard any pale, moldy or rancid-smelling kernel. Mash the accepted flesh with 1/2 cup warm broth from the pot until it forms a smooth, ink-dark paste. If using ready-to-use paste, loosen it the same way.
3. 3.Blend the shallots, garlic, kluwek paste, candlenuts, turmeric, ginger, coriander, cumin, white pepper, optional cooked shrimp paste and strained tamarind with 1/3 cup water. Scrape down the jar as needed until no hard candlenut pieces remain.
4. 4.Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium. Add the blended bumbu carefully and cook 10 to 14 minutes, stirring and scraping often as it spits. Checkpoint: it is ready when the paste has darkened, the sharp raw-shallot smell has become nutty and aromatic, and small beads of oil collect around the edge.
5. 5.Add the lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves and optional Indonesian bay leaves to the skillet. Fry 2 minutes more, pressing the aromatics into the paste until the lime and lemongrass aromas are distinct.
6. 6.Scrape the fried bumbu and aromatics into the beef pot, then rinse the skillet with 1 cup hot broth and add that too. Stir in the palm sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Return to a lazy simmer, partially cover and cook 60 minutes.
7. 7.Check the largest beef piece. Continue simmering 20 to 45 minutes, adding hot water if the meat is no longer submerged, until a fork turns easily and the beef separates along its grain with light pressure. The broth should be very dark brown-black with an amber sheen, not thick like gravy.
8. 8.Remove the lemongrass, galangal and whole leaves. Let the pot settle for 5 minutes, skim only excessive surface fat and taste a cooled spoonful. Adjust salt first; add no more than a pinch of sugar if the broth is harsh rather than balanced and earthy.
9. 9.Divide hot rice among six bowls or plates and ladle rawon beside or over it. Add a small handful of crisp short bean sprouts and fried shallots. Serve lime, sambal, salted egg and crackers separately so they do not obscure the first taste of the kluwek broth.
10. 10.Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The flavor deepens overnight. Reheat to a full simmer, adding a little water if needed; keep fresh sprouts, eggs and crackers separate until serving.