Soto Daging

Soto is one of the dishes in Indonesia where different region has its own soto version, just like satay. Having tried many of them, I still genuinely think Soto Medan is the best of all. It just does. Probably because it's richer. Heehee. Coconut milk makes almost everything taste much yummier. And the spicy hot relish goes with it. Yum.

Anyway, my mom/grandma usually make two versions of it. One with coconut milk, and lots of time, they don't. In summer time, I tend to cook it without coconut milk, less heavier.

What:
- 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck
- 6 cup water
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
- 2 cloves
- 1 slice of galangal, bruised
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 tomatoes, quatered
- 1 potatoes, cubed

Grind:
- 3 candlenuts
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- salt and pepper

How:
- In soup pan, stir fry spice paste. Add in lemongrass, cloves, galangal, bayleaf, tomatoes. Mix well.
- Add beef chuck into the mix (I like to add the beef first so it will sear for a while and its caramelized bits add to the soup flavor). Sear both sides.
- Slowly pour water to the pot. Lower the heat. And let it simmer for 1 hour.
- Test the beef by piercing fork to it, it should be quite tender by now. Lift it out from the pot.
- Sliced it up. Return it to the pot, together with potatoes.
- When potatoes is cooked and tender, turn off the heat. Toss in beansprouts. Stir.
- Garnish with green onions and lime wedges.

I added potatoes right to the broth, but traditionally, it is served with potato fritters on the side. At the time of making, all I had was 1 potato, and no way I would slave myself in fixing up 3 fritters, max. :D But it sure tastes much better with warm fritters and crispy shallots on top. *sigh*