Sop Buntut - Indonesian Oxtail Soup

More Indonesian culinary experience from my kitchen table :).

Let me introduce you all to Sop Buntut - Indonesian oxtail soup.

I recently went to our local supermarket here in Astoria and found halal oxtail. Yup, oxtail.

Although oxtail is obviously not a common ingredients here, but I found various menus from different countries using the same ingredients, like oxtail osso bucco and oxtail stew, for example.

Back home in Indonesia, sop buntut or oxtail soup has been widely known as a famous plate. Not only in authentic warung or street food vendors, but also in five-star hotels in Jakarta. Hotel Borobudur Jakarta, one of the luxurious hotels in the Capital, has long been recognized as 'the place' for the best sop buntut in town. 

Served with a warm plate of steamed rice and crackers, be it kerupuk or emping - or bitter nut crackers, sop buntut is one of the favorite choice for lunch or dinner. The rich texture and tender meat, enhanced with special aroma from the spices being used, makes sop buntut a yummy 

Some of you might not get a chance to try it in the restaurant here in the US,  but if you want, you can cook it at home.

Ingredients:

Oxtail - 2 pounds, usually it's already cleaned and chopped to pieces.

Garlic - 3 cloves

Shallot - 2 medium cloves

Coriander - 1 teaspoon
Candlenuts - 3 pieces

Nutmeg powder - as desired

Salt and pepper - as desired

Sugar - as desired
Vegetable oil
Carrots - cut in dice
Celery or cilantro or spring onion - all serves as garnish and my fave is cilantro and spring onion
Tomatoes

In some recipes, they use cloves. You are indeed welcomed to use it as it brings an exquisite aroma to the soup. I don't find one here so I skip it. But I make sure that nutmeg is added as it is sort of a 'signature' hint for this soup, at least in my family's recipe :). 

How to cook:

First, we get all the spices ready. Using mortar and pestle, grind the garlic, shallot, coriander and candle nut. Of course you are welcomed to use your food processor as well. Then heat one spoonful of vegetable oil and sauté the ground spices until it's well cooked and fragrant. In a large pot, boil the oxtail, together with the spices, until the meat is soft. I takes around 3 hours to get it tender, depending on the oxtail. Once the meat is tender, put carrots, celery/spring onion and boil it for 5 - 10 minutes. And sop buntut is ready.

Give some drops of fresh lime or lemon to add extra tangy kick in your soup and some fresh chopped chili if desired. You can also eat it together with a bowl of warm steamed rice.

lime or lemon gives you a fresh kick in the soup

Hope you get a chance to try this exotic culinary.
Selamat makan, bon appetit