Sundanese Cuisine
Empal Gentong Khas Cirebon (Cirebon-Style Beef and Coconut Milk Soup)
Prep
25 min
Cook
120 min
Servings
5
Level
Medium
Empal Gentong is a legendary beef soup from Cirebon featuring a rich, savory reddish-yellow coconut milk broth packed with spices. Traditionally cooked in a clay pot ("gentong") over a wood fire, its signature smoky aroma makes this broth extra special. Best enjoyed warm, topped with crispy fried shallots, chives, and dried chili sambal — perfect as a special weekend dish.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 5
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 500 grams beef (brisket or shank)
- 250 grams beef tripe (optional, pre-cleaned and boiled)
- 400 ml thick coconut milk
- 800 ml thin coconut milk
- 1.5 liters water for boiling the beef
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- 3 inch piece galangal, bruised
- 3 leaves bay leaves
- 4 leaves kaffir lime leaves
- 3 tbsp cooking oil for sautéing
- 3 tbsp fried shallots for garnish
- 3 stalks chives, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp beef bouillon powder (optional)
- 8 shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp cumin
- 4 candlenuts, toasted
- 2 inch piece turmeric, roasted
- 3 inch piece ginger
- 0.5 tsp whole peppercorns
- 10 pieces dried red chilies, soaked in hot water (for the dried chili sambal)
- 3 cloves garlic (for the sambal)
- 1 tsp palm sugar (for the sambal)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (for the sambal)
- to taste lontong (compressed rice cake) or steamed white rice, for serving
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Boil the beef and tripe in boiling water together with the lemongrass, galangal, and bay leaves for 60-90 minutes over low heat until the meat is tender. Set the broth aside — don't discard it.
- 2 While waiting for the meat to become tender, grind the spice paste: shallots, garlic, coriander, cumin, candlenuts, roasted turmeric, ginger, and peppercorns until smooth.
- 3 Heat the oil and sauté the spice paste until fragrant and fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
- 4 Remove the tender beef and tripe from the broth, cut into pieces as desired (cubed or sliced into strips), and set aside.
- 5 Add the sautéed spice paste into the beef broth, stir well, and cook over medium heat.
- 6 Add the kaffir lime leaves, salt, sugar, and bouillon powder. Cook until the broth boils and the seasoning is well absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- 7 Return the cut beef and tripe into the broth, and cook briefly so the seasoning soaks into the meat.
- 8 Pour in the thin coconut milk first, stirring gently to prevent curdling, and cook over low heat while stirring continuously.
- 9 Once it comes to a boil, add the thick coconut milk, keep stirring over low heat until the broth thickens and releases a bit of oil, about 15-20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
- 10 For the dried chili sambal: grind the soaked dried red chilies, garlic, and palm sugar, then sauté in oil until cooked and fragrant. Set aside.
- 11 Serve the Empal Gentong piping hot in a bowl with lontong or rice, topped with fried shallots and chives, and add dried chili sambal to taste.
💡 Tips
• Choose beef brisket or shank, as their texture becomes tender when boiled for a long time and absorbs the coconut milk broth beautifully.
• Simmer the meat over low heat for a good length of time so it becomes perfectly tender without needing a pressure cooker — this is the key to Empal Gentong's signature texture.
• Keep stirring the coconut milk broth over low heat so it doesn't curdle — don't leave it unattended during this step.
• For a more authentic Cirebon-style aroma, you can add a touch of smokiness by placing a piece of burning charcoal into a small bowl of oil, then covering the pot briefly (a simple smoking technique).
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
480 kkal
Calories (kcal)
28 gg
Protein
35 gg
Fat
15 gg
Carbs
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