The Colorful Soto Dishes of Madura

In addition to its delicious satay, Madura Island is well known for its various soto dishes. Different regions serve different kind of soto.  

Soto stalls in Bangkalan, for example, are known to serve soto with beef slices and offal. While in Sumenep, the soto has free-ranged chicken meat. 

One of not-so-may restaurants in Bangkalan that serves Soto Madura among other menus is the Sederhana Restaurant in Nyondung street, Trageh District. The restaurant offers two kinds of soto: Soto Madura and Soto Daging (Beef Soto). "Soto Madura and Soto Daging are different, although the ingredients may be similar," said the owner, Haji Faisol.

Soto Madura a la Haji Faisol has an almost-clear broth with big slices of tender beef. The broth was a bit salty but savory on the tongue. Raw scallion slices that were sprinkled on the broth added a fresh taste. "The price is Rp20,000 plus iced tea," said Faisol. According to Faisol, Soto in Bangkalan is less popular than dishes made of duck meat.

Another kind of soto is sold in a small stall in Socah district. It is soto tongkol (mackerel tuna soto). This less-cholesterol dish has reddish broth from the red chili extract that is included.  Aisyah, the stall owner, sells her cooking for Rp6,000 per bowl.  

Aisyah can cook up to 10 kilograms of tongkol fish in a day. "The customers are local residents," she said.

In Sumenep, you can taste the city's distinctive soto in Warung 17 in Trunojoyo street. Edi Setiawan, the stall owner said that his soto is made from an original recipe that has been inherited from generation to generation. 

Just like typical Sumenep soto, the soto in this stall has clear broth with chicken meat slices, fried sprout, vermicelli, scallions and friend shallot slices. To taste the delicacy of this dish, you only need to pay Rp12,000 per portion.

Edi explained that Chinese cooking influence can be seen in the original Sumenep soto. "Sprout is a must-available ingredient in Chinese dishes such as Cap Cay," he said.

There are also soto sabreng or cassava soto that can be found in Sumenep. The dish got its name since the sellers include boiled cassava slices into the dish as replacement for rice or lontong (packed rice). 

According to Edi, this kind of dish can be said as Sumenep’s distinctive dish. Inside of it are also beef and cow's intestine seasoned with hot grinded peanut. The dish is sold at Rp7,500 per portion.

Source : Tempo