Tongseng

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Tongseng is an Indonesian stew made with goat, mutton, or beef cooked in a curry-like soup with vegetables and sweet soy sauce. It’s popular in Central Java, especially in Boyolali and Solo (Surakarta), and also in Yogyakarta. Its origins are thought to be in Boyolali’s Klego district.

The name comes from the Javanese word osengan, meaning “stir-frying,” and also the sound of the cooking spoon hitting the wok. The soup starts with garlic, shallots, black pepper, ginger, coriander, galangal, bay leaves, and lemongrass sautéed in palm oil. Diced meat is added and cooked, then water is added to boil. Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) and tamarind are added, and after the liquid reduces, shredded cabbage and sliced tomato are mixed in for freshness. Some versions use coconut milk, and spicy ones add bird’s eye chilies. It’s usually served with hot steamed rice.

Tongseng is similar to gulai, but tongseng uses meat and sweet soy, while gulai is a curry-like soup that often uses offal and does not include sweet soy. Tongseng is considered a blend of goat satay and gulai.

Historically, tongseng appeared in Java in the 18th–19th centuries, during a period of Arab and Indian Muslim influence. Arabs introduced goat, lamb, and kebabs, while palm sugar helped create kecap manis, the sweet soy sauce that flavors tongseng.

Today, tongseng is common in towns like Boyolali, Solo, Klaten, and Yogyakarta, and can also be found in major cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, and Surabaya. Many sellers operate as Warung Sate Solo, shops that specialize in satay, tongseng, and gulai.