Sop Konro (Beef Ribs Soup ala Makassar)

Ingredients:

* 1 kg beef ribs, cut into 4-5 cm pieces
* 2 lt water
* 2 tbs tamarind juice
* 3 tbs vegetable/palm oil
* 3 cloves
* 2 indian bay leaves
* 3 cm galangal, bruised
* 2 cm cinnamon
* salt and sugar to taste

Spice paste:

* 1 cup red beans (kacang merah), boiled
* 5 kluwak nuts
* 5 shallots
* 3 garlic
* 1 nutmeg
* 1 tsp tumeric

Directions:

* Ground all spice paste ingredients in a blender or using the traditional mortar and pestle
* Stir fry the spice paste and cloves over medium heat until fragrant and then set aside
* Boil the water. Add beef ribs, cinnamon, indian bay leaves, galangal, tamarind juice, salt and sugar. Add the fried spice and cloves. Cook until the meat is tender and the spice is well absorbed into the meat.
* Remove and serve with sambal.