Jepara beef satay — Central Java, Indonesia

Jepara beef satay is a skewered, charcoal-grilled beef dish from the coastal town of Jepara on the north shore of Central Java. Cubes of beef are marinated in a sweet soy and spice mix before grilling, giving the surface a dark, slightly sticky glaze. It is reported specifically from Jepara, where it is sold at stalls that pair it with horog-horog, a soft, slightly sour sago-flour cake steamed in a rolled banana or coconut leaf, a side dish rarely seen with satay elsewhere in Java. Beef cubes are marinated in sweet soy sauce, crushed garlic, coriander and a little tamarind, then threaded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal, basted repeatedly with the marinade until the outside caramelizes while the center stays tender. A thin sauce of sweet soy, chili and lime is spooned over just before serving. The pairing with horog-horog, rather than rice or ketupat, along with a thinner soy-based sauce instead of a thick peanut one, is what marks this out from beef satays found in other parts of Central Java; the grilling method and cut of meat otherwise stay close to regional norms.