Indonesia's Favorite Snack: The Bakso

By Crivenica

I guess we're back to food. Who am I kidding? Food plays a big part in my life. Growing up with a mother who is a great cook and baker, food has always been in the center of our family life. And as an adult, food has played even a bigger role as I continued to taste food from different parts of the world and learned to make them in my own kitchen. Food also tends to be one of the glue in my relationships with other people. My husband and I bonded over 3-hour brunches when we first dated, while my girlfriends and I got together every month to try out and review a new restaurant (and we dined at favorite spots in between).

The tradition didn’t end when David and I moved to Nepal. I now have lunch once a week with a group of Indonesian ladies living in Kathmandu. Similarly, we try out new restaurants or go back to our favorite ones. One thing for sure, lunch usually lasts until way after lunch hour is over. However, on top of eating out, I’m now also dedicated in making my favorite dishes that I can’t simply buy in Nepal.

When I was still living in Indonesia I never learned to make Indonesian food because it was easier to buy or ask my mom to make them for me. But, now, if I want to eat any of my favorite Indonesian dishes, I have to make them myself. So whenever Lu and I get on Skype with my parents in Jakarta, all we talk about is some recipe. And one of the recipes we discussed recently was the Indonesian bakso.

Bakso in simple term is a beef ball dish served in beef broth with rice noodle or egg noodle. However, Bakso, as simple as it is as a dish, it is not just food. It is a culture. It is probably the equivalent of the Nepali Momo (See my earlier post) to the Indonesians and it is safe to say that bakso may be Indonesia’s favorite snack. There is no Indonesian who doesn’t like bakso. Anywhere in Indonesia, you can find hawkers or little humble spots ready to sell you a bowl of hot steaming Bakso and they are usually always full with customers.

The Indonesian ladies with our Russian friend
at my Bakso party

Now, Bakso is one of those dishes that you usually just buy instead of make because they’re everywhere, but since I live in a place where I can’t ever find Bakso, I had to learn to make them. Our mother is actually a very well accomplished Bakso maker, so she dutifully talked me through the process and helped me improve my Bakso making skills through three attempts. On my first try, the beef balls tasted good, but I couldn’t get the smooth ball shape. On second try, the beef balls tasted better and the shape resembled more like Bakso, but the balls blew up due to too much baking soda. And after two trials, I felt confident that I had the techniques down that I could serve the results of my third Bakso making endeavor to my group of Indonesian ladies.

I went all out and made a bunch of regular Bakso, egg-filled Bakso, and Bakso filled tofu just like what we have in Indonesia. We had a blast indulging on a little taste of home, though my Bakso can’t taste as good as the ones in Indonesia. The reason is - I’m limited to use frozen ground beef, when you’re supposed to use freshly butchered beef (before the rigor sets in). Meat prior to rigor mortis is hardly ever used for consumption because it would be tough; but, for this application, it is preferred as it will ensure firm and snappy beef balls. When the meat is post rigor, frozen even - the balls will turn out softer (still good, though!). Nepal is a Hindu nation and most of Nepali people do not eat beef. I consider myself lucky that I can even find some frozen ground beef in Nepal!

For my Indonesian friends living abroad, here is the recipe for you.

500 gr ground beef
Try to find the freshest beef you can find. My mom goes to the butcher at 4 a.m. to get freshly butchered meat. This is the key for a crisp firm ball.
3 tbs corn starch
1.5 tbs rock salt
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
a pinch baking soda
6 ice cubes

Mixed all the ingredients (except for the ice cubes) thoroughly with your hand first and then start processing the meat and ice cubes in a food processor until it is well blend and the consistency of the meat is smooth. Depending on the size and the power of your food processor, I suggest to process the meat in several batches (you will need to divide the six ice cubes accordingly).

Heat water in a medium to large saucepan just until almost boiling. Turn off the heat. Wet one of your palms with warm water (since I’m right-handed, I wetted my left) and knead some of the processed meat in your palm and squeeze some of it through the space between your thumb and fore finger (see picture). Grab the ball with a spoon already dipped in hot water and put the ball in your palm (after returning the rest of the meat back into the bowl). With the wet spoon, smooth the surface of the ball and drop it into the waiting hot water. Continue doing this until the last of the processed meat.

While you were finishing up shaping your balls, heat another saucepan of water. After you drop your last ball, wait for 5-10 minutes before you transfer the balls into the other pan of hot water (heat already turned off). The hot water shock and cook the balls without misshaping them. After 10 minutes in the second hot water, you may turn the heat on low and let them cook for a little more (another 10 minutes).

Do not throw away any of the cooking water because it’ll be the base of your broth. Pick up some rib bones when you buy your meat and drop them into the cooking water to make your broth and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. I simply add some celery into the broth and let my guests to adjust the seasoning to their liking.

Regular Bakso & Egg filled Bakso

If you’d like to make egg-filled Bakso, simply hard boil some eggs, peel and cover the eggs with some of the processed meat. Follow with the smoothing and cooking process. And to make the Bakso-filled tofu, cut the tofu into triangles and deep fry until golden brown. Cut openings on one tip of the fried tofu  triangles and fill each with the processed meat and steam.

Bakso-filled Tofu

When you are ready to serve the Bakso, heat the broth and drop your Bakso into the broth for a minute. In a bowl, put some already soften rice or egg noodle, bean sprout, the Bakso-filled tofu and salt and pepper (if not seasoned yet), then pour in the Bakso with the broth on top of everything. Garnish with chopped green onion and fried shallots. And don’t forget the chili sauce and if you prefer some sweet soy sauce and a splash of vinegar.

Hope you'll make time to make this recipe and enjoy the dish with your family and friends. It's always great to share home made food that we miss with those who miss it as much as we do. I had a blast at my Bakso party!