Rawon

Rawon is a distinctive Indonesian dish that originated in East Java. Slow-braised beef and other traditional Indonesian ingredients such as lime leaves, lemongrass, ginger, and chili are commonly used to make this flavorful soup. The key ingredient, however, is buah kluwek, or Indonesian black nut.

This unusual Indonesian spice is highly toxic when consumed raw and must always be fermented before consumption. It is ground with other ingredients and spices to give the dish an earthy and sour flavor as well as its distinctive dark black color. The dish is thought to have originated in Surabaya, the capital of East Java.

Originally prepared as a peasant dish, it quickly became a favorite among royalty and grew in popularity. It is now widely available on the menus of many traditional Indonesian restaurants. It's typically served with plain rice, salted eggs, bean sprouts, and sambal, a fiery Indonesian chili paste.