0 Tongseng and Tengkleng Mutton soup with Central Java flavor

Mutton satay Madura style is one of the most popular dishes in the archipelago. Stalls selling this kind of satay can be found in almost every major city in Indonesia. Bali is no exception and over the years this satay and its loyal sidekick, gulai (a curried soup), have won an increasing number of followers on the resort island. Recently, two other mutton-based dishes have begun their annexation of the locals’ taste buds. 

The first is tongseng, a thinner version of gulai. Its main ingredient is diced mutton. Spices, including sliced shallots, onion and chili, are fried with the meat before being drowned with coconut milk and a small quantity of kaffir lime juice. Salt, pepper, soy sauce and slices of fresh cabbage are added at the end. Tongseng is served in a bowl with crispy melinjo (emping) crackers. The second is tengkleng, a delicious dish of meaty mutton ribs. Finely ground spices, which include cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, and the meaty ribs are first pan-fried before being placed in a pot. 

Coconut milk, lemongrass, orange leaves and tamarind are added to the mixture and the whole concoction is cooked for hours over low intensity fire. The end result is a meat so tender and a soup so thick with exotic aromas that it will send your taste buds on a complex journey. Both these dishes are native to Central Java. In Bali, you could find them at Rasa Mantap, a diner on Jl. Hayam Wuruk in East Denpasar. The diner can accommodate 100 guests and also serves non-mutton dishes. The owner is a native of Wonogiri in Central Java.

source : bali daily