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Soto Across the Nation

Soto Across the Nation

Auli Cinantya
01 August 2024

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With 34 provinces from Sabang to Merauke, discover Indonesia's rich culinary heritage through a bowl of Soto.

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Indonesia is vast and culturally rich, boasting 34 provinces and hundreds of distinct cultures. Each region is a treasure trove of culinary heritage, offering unique flavors and dishes that reflect local traditions. While every area has its signature dishes, one culinary delight that unites them all is soto. From Sabang to Merauke, soto is a beloved dish, with each region presenting its own unique version. Some Soto feature clear broths, others are creamy, and some are packed with spices. Despite these differences, every soto has its own unique charm and flavor.

Each region in Indonesia offers a different take on soto, highlighting the country’s incredible culinary diversity. There’s no single way to make the perfect soto, which makes it unique. Each bowl of Soto tells a story of cultural assimilation, tolerance, and harmony. Its unique flavors and many variations prove Soto to be one of the dishes representing Indonesia’s culinary tradition. No wonder, in 2017, the Indonesian Agency for Creative Economy (Bekraf) recognized it as an Indonesian culinary icon.

A bowl of soto, with its savory yellow broth filled with slices of chicken or beef offal, eggs, bean sprouts, and rice, is a culinary artifact that embodies the cultural fusion of Indian, Chinese, and local Indonesian food traditions.

What is Soto?

Soto is one of Indonesia’s premier culinary icons, standing alongside rendang. Known locally by various names like sroto, sauto, tauto, or coto, soto is a traditional Indonesian soup made primarily from broth, meat, and vegetables. The most commonly used meats are chicken and beef, though some variations use pork, horse, or goat meat.

Every region in Indonesia has its own version of Soto, such as Soto Madura, Soto Kediri, Soto Pemalang, Soto Betawi, Soto Padang, Coto Kuda Jeneponto, and many more. Some Soto are named after their ingredients, like Soto Ayam (chicken soto), Soto Babat (tripe soto), or Soto Kambing (goat soto). There’s even a Soto made from cow’s feet called Soto Sekengkel.

Many sources claim Soto is a native Indonesian dish, but Denys Lombard, in his book “Nusa Jawa: Batas-Batas Pembaratan,” argues that soto is a product of cultural assimilation and modification of Cantonese culinary practices, featuring spiced broths made from meat and offal. The name “soto” is believed to derive from the Cantonese terms “cau do” or “jau to,” meaning spiced offal.

Historically, soto emerged in the 19th century when middle and lower-class communities couldn’t afford regular meat consumption, creating this hearty, broth-based dish. According to Fadly Rahman, a historian from Universitas Padjajaran, the name “soto” reflects Chinese cultural influences and the use of beef offal in the dish. His research found early 19th-century Dutch records referencing “soto” as a native dish made from beef offal soaked in broth.

Soto: A Bowl Full of Heritage

Java Island boasts Indonesia’s most diverse soto varieties, with around 80% of the country’s soto found here. The remaining varieties are scattered across Sumatra, West Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi. While Java may have the most variations, Sumatra is known for its rich use of spices.

Professor Murdijati Gardijito from Gadjah Mada University identified 75 soto varieties in Indonesia, with 61 originating from Java and Madura. The rest are spread across Sumatra, NTB, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan.

Soto has also become a part of Indonesia’s culinary identity, which is recognized worldwide. Indonesian restaurants abroad often feature soto as a flagship dish, such as Awang Kitchen in New York, which serves Soto Soto Betawi and Soto Madura, and Made’s Warung in Amsterdam, which offers Soto Lamongan.

In a 2017 seminar by Bekraf Creative Labs, Professor Murdijati Gardjito it emphasized the cultural representation of soto, noting its 75 variations across Indonesia, with a significant concentration in Java and Madura.

We also recognize the diverse names and styles of soto, reflecting its origin, preparation method, or unique ingredients: Soto Grombyang, Soto “Dok” Lamongan, Soto Sulung and Ambengan from Surabaya, Soto Tangkar Betawi, Soto Sukaraja from Banyumas, Purwokerto, and Purbalingga, Sauto Tegal, Tauto Pekalongan, and Coto Makassar.

The culinary heritage book Mustikarasa contains seven soto recipes: soto ayam, soto bandung, soto banten, soto kedu, soto madura, soto pamekasan, and soto selada air.

With such a rich tapestry of flavors and stories, soto is more than just a dish—it’s a cultural journey through Indonesia’s diverse culinary landscape.

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