Rawon
{{Short description|Indonesian beef soup dish}}
{{EngvarA|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Rawon
| image = Rawon Setan II.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Rawon setan (devil's rawon), a variation served late at night
| alternate_name =
| country = Indonesia
| region = Surabaya, Malang, and Ponorogo, East Java
| national_cuisine = Indonesia,{{Cite news |last=Harilistia |first=Ivan Thaddeus |title=Rawon, Black Beef Soup to Accompany Your Dining|publisher=Times Indonesia |url=https://timesindonesia.co.id/english/393070/rawon-black-beef-soup-to-accompany-your-dining |date=24 January 2022|access-date=2024-05-24 |language=id}} Singapore{{cite web|url=https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/dining/best-local-food-singapore-bedok-corner-nasi-rawon-jenganan-256606|title=Best eats: Nasi jenganan and nasi rawon soaked in gravy at Bedok Corner|publisher=Channel News Asia|date=November 21, 2019|accessdate=March 21, 2024}}
| creator =
| course = Main course
| served = Hot
| main_ingredient = Meat, keluak nut
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
}}
Rawon (Javanese: {{script|Java|ꦫꦮꦺꦴꦤ꧀}}) is an Indonesian beef soup.[http://www.indofood.com/bumbuinstan/page.aspx?id=101 Indofood corporate website. See "Bumbu Rawon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624112037/http://www.indofood.com/bumbuinstan/page.aspx?id=101 |date=2011-06-24 }} Originating from the Javanese cuisine of East Java, rawon utilizes the black keluak nut as the main seasoning, which gives a dark color and nutty flavor to the soup; thus rawon is often described as "black beef soup".
In 2024, TasteAtlas rawon was rated as the world's best soup. Also, Indonesian soup, Soto Betawi followed in the second place.{{Cite web |title=Soups of the World: Best Recipes & Restaurants|work=TasteAtlas |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/soups |access-date=2024-05-24 }}
Ingredients
File:Bumbu Rawon.jpg, garlic, shallots, keluak/pucung, candlenut, coriander, pepper, lemongrass, ginger, kencur, galangal, palm sugar, lime leaves and bay leaves.]]
The soup is composed of a ground mixture of garlic, shallots, keluak, ginger, candlenut, turmeric, red chili, and salt and is sautéed with oil. The sautéed mixture is then poured into the boiled beef stock filled with beef cubes.
Lemongrass, galangal, bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves, and sugar are then added as seasonings.{{Cite book
| last = Wright
| first = Clifford A.
| title = The Best Soups in the World
| publisher = John Wiley and Sons
| date = 2009
| pages = 64
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=yuYEak0oid4C&pg=PT64
| isbn = 9780470180525 }} The special dark or black color of rawon comes from the keluak as the main spice. The soup is usually garnished with green onion and fried shallot and served with rice. Other toppings include bean sprouts, salted preserved egg, krupuk, and fried tolo beans (black-eyed pea).{{Cite web |title=Resep masakan rawon khas jawa |url=https://www.kulineran.link/2023/07/resep-masakan-rawon-khas-jawa.html |access-date=2018-01-17 |website=Kulineran |language=id}}
History
Rawon is one of the oldest historically identified dishes of ancient Java. It was mentioned as rarawwan in an ancient Javanese Taji inscription (901 CE) from the era of the Mataram Kingdom.{{Cite news|url=http://www.beritasatu.com/kuliner/245385-menguak-fakta-menu-lalapan-sunda-lewat-prasasti-taji.html|title=Menguak Fakta Menu Lalapan Sunda Lewat Prasasti Taji|work=beritasatu.com|access-date=2017-12-23|language=id}}
Variants
There are several variants of rawon, the most popular of which is Surabayan rawon. A version called rawon setan ("devil's rawon") is sold as a late-night meal at Indonesian food stalls open from midnight to dawn, supposedly the hours during which devils roam.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= 26 July 2023|title=Recipe grombyang rice |url=https://www.kulineran.link/2023/07/resep-nasi-grombyang-khas-jawa-tengah.html |access-date=2023-07-26 |work=Kulineran}}
In Balinese cuisine, rawon does not use any keluak—thus, the color is brown instead of black. Additionally, as the Balinese are mostly Hindu, they tend to favor pork over beef.{{Cite news |last=Kusuma |first=Made Wijaya |title=Sedapnya! Sate Plecing dan Rawon Babi di Puncak Wanagiri Buleleng |url=https://food.detik.com/berita-boga/d-6565585/sedapnya-sate-plecing-dan-rawon-babi-di-puncak-wanagiri-buleleng |date=13 February 2023|access-date=2024-05-24 |publisher=detikfood |language=id-ID}}
In Singapore, the dish is known as Nasi Rawon, usually sold at Malay hawker stalls.{{cite web|url=https://www.halaltag.com/food/98|title=Discover the top 5 best Nasi Rawon in Singapore|publisher=Halal Tag|accessdate=March 21, 2024}} The dish is usually served with rice, paru (fried beef lung), sambal sotong and gravy made from buah keluak.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/singapore/restaurants/makan-spotlight-nasi-rawon|title=Makan Spotlight: Nasi Rawon
|publisher=Timeout|date=June 4, 2021|accessdate=March 21, 2024}}
See also
{{Portal|Food|Indonesia}}
References
{{Commons category|Rawon}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Indonesian cuisine}}
{{Singaporean cuisine}}