Beef Soup with Tofu and Vegetables

(Tahu Campur)

Tahu campur is one of popular food from East Java, especially in Surabaya. It's sort of beef soup served with green salad, bean sprout, egg noodle, fried tofu, lentho (spiced fried cassava) and krupuk bawang (garlic crackers). For some people the taste is probably a little bit strange because it has petis udang (dried shrimp paste) inside.

Category: Soup

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking time: 45 - 60 minutes

Ingredients

For Broth

- 500 g beef meat, used the one that has more fat

- 1,5 litre of water

- 2 stalks of spring onion, chopped

- 2 kaffir lime leafs

Spice Paste

- 3 cloves of garlic

- 1/2 teaspoon coriander, pan-broil

- 1 teaspoon cumin, pan-broil

- 3 cm of fresh kencur

- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder

- 1 teaspoon black pepper

- Salt to taste or 1 cube/block beef seasoning mixture/beef bouillon (Maggi or Knorr block)

- Sugar to taste

Lentho (optional)

- 300 g grated cassava

- 2 stalks of spring onion, chopped

- 1 teaspoon of cumin, pan-broil

- 3 cloves of garlic

- 1/2 teaspoon coriander, pan-broil

- 3 cm of fresh kencur

- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

- Salt to taste

Sambal Petis

- 5 bird's eyes chillies

- 2 tablespoons of dried shrimp paste (petis udang)

- 2 teaspoons cooked water

Additional Ingredients

- 2 big tofu, fried

- 150 g bean sprouts, simmer in hot water (make sure it's not too soft)

- 100 g green salad, chopped into small cut

- 150 g egg noodle, cooked

- Fried garlic and shallots to garnish

Directions

A. The Broth:

1. Boil the meat with 1,5 litre of water to make the broth. Cook it until the meat is tender.

2. Grind or blend the spice paste except beef seasoning mixture/beef bouillon and sugar.

3. Heat the oil in the wok then sauté the spice paste, kaffir lime leafs, and spring onion until it's fragrant. Set aside and put it into the broth. Add the beef seasoning mixture/beef bouillon. Then season with sugar. Continue cooking until the meat is tender.

B. Lentho

1. Grind or blend all the ingredients. Mix them well.

2. Shape into small square (just like croquettes). Fry them into deep hot oil. Set aside.

C. Sambal Petis

1. Cook the chillies, and then grind with dried shrimp paste (petis udang)

2. Add the water and mix it well.

D. To Serve

In a plate, take 1 teaspoon of sambal petis, and then add the bean sprout, green salad, egg noodle, fried tofu and lentho. Pour the broth, and then garnish with fried garlic, fried shallot and garlic crackers.