Coto Makassar, A Legendary Dish from South Sulawesi

RRI.CO.ID, Makassar - Coto Makassar is one of South Sulawesi’s signature dishes and has long been part of the culinary traditions of Makassar. This savory soup is known for its combination of beef, offal, and a richly spiced broth.

Historical accounts suggest that Coto Makassar has been known since the era of the Gowa Kingdom, dating back to around the 16th century. At the time, beef was considered a valuable food and was commonly consumed by members of the royal family and nobility. Beef offal, meanwhile, was generally not served to the upper classes and was instead processed and consumed by the wider community.

Today, Coto Makassar is prepared by simmering beef and offal in a broth made with a variety of spices. The meat and offal are cut into small pieces and served with the distinctive, savory broth.

One of the defining characteristics of Coto Makassar is the use of spices and ground nuts, which give the broth its rich flavor. Ingredients include peanuts, candlenuts, cloves, nutmeg, lemongrass, galangal, pepper, shallots, garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, and other spices.

Makassar communities refer to the extensive spice blend as ampah patang pulo, a term associated with the use of numerous spices in preparing Coto Makassar. Recipes have also evolved according to individual traditions and preferences, including the use of tauco, a fermented soybean paste, to enhance the flavor of the broth.

Coto Makassar is commonly served with ketupat or burasa, traditional rice-based foods from South Sulawesi. The dish may also be accompanied by fried peanuts, fried shallots, sliced scallions, and a squeeze of lime to add flavor and aroma.

The beef can be combined with various types of offal, including tongue, brain, spleen, lungs, liver, heart, and tripe. The use of a wide range of offal is one of the characteristics that distinguishes Coto Makassar from other regional soto dishes in Indonesia.

The culinary tradition of Coto Makassar is also associated with cooking methods from the past, when it was prepared in a traditional earthenware pot known as a korong butta. Today, the dish is generally served hot, preserving not only its rich flavors but also its connection to the history and culinary traditions of Makassar.