From Batavia to the Dinner Table: The Story Behind the Popularity of Soto Betawi
- 20 Jul 2026 17:08 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Soto Betawi, a culinary specialty of the capital city made from beef, offal, and coconut milk, remains a favorite dish to this day. Its popularity extends beyond Jakartans to various regions across Indonesia, thanks to its savory and distinctive flavor that distinguishes it from other soto varieties in the archipelago.
The name "Soto Betawi" was first popularized in 1977 and 1978 by a vendor named Lie Bowen Bo, who sold his food in the THR Lokasari or Taman Prinsen area of Jakarta. Before the name stuck, the dish was sold under other names, such as "Soto Pak X," and it only became truly popular after the vendor closed in 1991.
Soto Betawi is a coconut milk-based dish containing beef, offal, and other internal organs, such as cow's eyes, torpedoes, and liver. The meat and offal are boiled separately and then cut into small pieces after the broth boils, before being mixed with ground spices sautéed with bay leaves and lemongrass stalks.
The main spices in Soto Betawi consist of shallots, garlic, ginger, chilies, cloves, cumin, and pepper, which are ground before cooking. Once the spices are cooked, the mixture is combined with beef stock and coconut milk to create the savory broth that is the soto's signature dish.
Soto Betawi is usually served with tomatoes, spring onions, celery, and fried onions. This dish is best enjoyed with warm rice, French fries, chili sauce, lime juice, and fresh pickles.
To preserve this cultural heritage, the Indonesian government designated the Kondet area as a Betawi cultural heritage site in the 1970s to prevent it from being eroded by time. This preservation effort has helped maintain Soto Betawi's existence to this day as a culinary icon of Jakarta, popular for lunch and family gatherings.
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