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Sweet and savory semur daging kecap (Javanese beef stew) made with tender beef, potatoes, tomatoes, and kecap manis. Includes Instant Pot and stovetop methods.
This semur daging kecap is one of those comforting dishes that instantly reminds me of home. Tender chunks of beef are slowly cooked in a rich, savory, and slightly sweet broth flavored with kecap manis, shallots, garlic, and warm spices like nutmeg. My grandmother used to make this dish pretty often and the aroma alone always made everyone hungry before dinner was even ready.
I’m sharing both pressure cooker and stovetop methods because honestly, both are delicious. Personally, I love the pressure cooker version because it’s quicker, the beef turns out incredibly tender, and I can just set it and forget it without heating up the whole kitchen—especially during summer.
Traditionally, semur is usually served with rice, but I also love serving it with bean thread noodles for a lighter variation.
A Little Background About Semur Daging
Semur is a classic Indonesian braised dish heavily influenced by Dutch cooking during the colonial era. The word “semur” is believed to come from the Dutch word smoor, which means something slowly simmered or braised. Over time, Indonesians adapted the dish using local ingredients and flavors, especially kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), which gives semur its signature deep brown color and sweet-savory taste.
There are many variations of semur throughout Indonesia. Some use chicken, eggs, tofu, potatoes, or even tongue. Semur daging, made with beef, is one of the most popular versions and is especially common in Javanese home cooking where sweeter flavor profiles are loved.
The stew is rich but still light enough to enjoy regularly, making it perfect for everyday family meals or special occasions.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- The beef turns incredibly tender and flavorful.
- You can make it using either a pressure cooker or stovetop.
- It uses simple pantry-friendly ingredients.
- The sweet and savory flavor is deeply comforting.
- It tastes even better the next day.
- It pairs beautifully with rice or noodles.
- The pressure cooker version is mostly hands-off cooking.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – You can use chuck, round, or rump. Chuck is my favorite because it becomes extra tender after cooking.
- Butter – Adds richness and depth of flavor. You can also use cooking oil if preferred.
- Bean thread noodles – Optional, but delicious for serving.
- Shallots – Essential for authentic Indonesian flavor.
- Garlic – Adds savory depth.
- Fresh ginger – Helps balance the richness of the beef.
- Bay leaves – Indonesian bay leaves are traditional, but regular bay leaves work too.
- Kecap manis – The key ingredient that gives semur its signature sweet-savory taste.
- Soy sauce – Adds additional umami flavor.
- Coconut sugar – Gives subtle caramel sweetness. Brown sugar can work too.
- Salt – Adjust to taste.
- Nutmeg powder – Adds warmth and classic semur flavor.
- Potatoes – Traditionally deep-fried before adding to the stew for extra flavor.
- Tomatoes – Add slight acidity and freshness.
- Fried crispy shallots – For garnish and extra texture.
- Chinese celery leaves – Adds freshness before serving.
What to Serve This With
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Coconut rice
- Pickled cucumber and carrots
- Sambal for some heat
- Blanched bean thread noodles
- Indonesian crackers (kerupuk)
Storage & Reheating
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- The flavor actually gets better the next day as the beef absorbs more of the sauce.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until heated through.
- You can freeze the stew for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Semur daging tastes even better the next day. - Can I use another cut of beef?
Yes. Chuck, round, rump, or brisket all work well. - Is semur supposed to be sweet?
Yes. Semur has a characteristic sweet-savory flavor from kecap manis. - Can I skip the potatoes?
Absolutely. Some versions only use beef. - What noodles work best with this dish?
Bean thread noodles or rice vermicelli work great. - Can I cook this without a pressure cooker?
Definitely. The stovetop version is just as delicious, it simply takes longer.
Semur daging kecap is one of those humble comfort foods that never gets old. The combination of tender beef, rich broth, sweet soy sauce, and warm spices makes it incredibly cozy and satisfying. Whether you serve it with rice or noodles, this is the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table.
If you grew up eating semur like I did, this recipe will probably bring back a lot of memories too.
Semur Daging Kecap (Pressure Cooker or Stove Top)
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef you can use chuck, round, rump
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- Water see instruction for the amount
- 50 gr bean thread noodles optional
Aromatics:
- 8 shallots thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger
Herb:
Seasonings:
- 4 Tbsp kecap manis
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar or more to taste
- Salt to taste
Spices:
- ½ tsp nutmeg powder
Vegetables (cut into large chunks if cooking with Instant Pot):
- 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 large tomatoes quartered
Garnishes:
- Fried crispy shallots
- Chinese celery leaves finely chopped
Instructions
Grind the aromatics:
- Place ingredients for aromatics in food processor and grind into fine pieces or a paste
Cooking with pressure cooker:
- Melt the butter in an inner pot of Instant Pot pressure cooker. Add in ground aromatics and stir fry for about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef, herb, tomatoes, spices, and seasonings. Pour in the 1/4 cup of water (yes, I know that sounds like not much at all). Stir to mix. Not much liquid is lost and you'll be surprised by how much liquid you ended up with later. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is stuck there
- Cover the lid. Turn the steam release valve to "sealing". Set timer to 20 minutes and make sure it's on "high pressure". Wait 10 minutes and then release pressure completely after that. Unlock the lid. Add the potatoes and turn on the saute mode. Let the potatoes cook until they are fork-tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes or so.
- Have a taste and season with salt if needed. It should be savory and slightly sweet. Proceed to serving
Cooking on the stove:
- Melt the butter in a large pot. Add in ground aromatics, nutmeg and bay leaves. Stir fry until fragrant. Add the beef and seasonings. Pour in the 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat and slowly simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Add the potatoes and tomatoes after 30 minutes of cooking. Gently stir everything to mix. Have a taste and season with salt if needed. It should be slightly sweet from the sweet soy sauce
When ready to serve:
- If using cellophane noodles, blanch the cellophane noodles in boiling water, it just take few seconds to soften. Portion into individual bowl and portion out the beef and potatoes over each bowl. Laddle the hot broth over the noodles. Garnish with fried shallot crisp and celery leaves. Drizzle with some kecap manis and you are good to go. Or just serve this with rice on the side
6 comments
Hi Marvellina,
The note below the recipe is not fully clear to me:
If you use deep-fried potatoes, do you 1) deep-fry them and eat them just as a side dish or 2) deep-fry them and add them to the pot 30 minutes before the end of cooking?
Thanks,
Fred
Hi Fred,
Sorry for the confusion, if you have fried the potatoes before, you can add them in 10 minutes before the end of cooking time so it can absorb some of the flavor. But of course, there’s nothing wrong too if you want to serve them on the side.
Hi Marvellina, am going to try your recipe for beef semur and potatoes using pressure cooker. In your recipe you add potatoes together with the beef, won’t the potatoes be too soft??
Hi Lulu, I cut mine into really large chunks. You can also add the potatoes in after the meat is done cooking. Simply use the “saute” button to bring it back to a boil and add the potatoes and cook them until soft. If you do this, cut the potatoes into bite-size so they cook faster. I hope this helps
Marvellina — what is in the little metal bowl (with the spoon in it) in the picture? And in the other little bowl — is it just soy sauce or do you add something to it? Also, any tips on making the shallot crisps? Do you slow-fry so it carmelizes or fry in high-heat (but careful not to burn it to a crisp)? Thanks
Hi Wey,
It’s my mom’s green sambal, sorry I forgot to link it in the recipe, here it is http://whattocooktoday.com/moms-green-sambal.html and the other one is just the kecap manis/ sweet soy sauce. I made bawang goreng before here’s the recipe http://whattocooktoday.com/how-to-make-fried-shallots-crisp.html Definitely need to slow fry them and to watch out not to burn them, so yes..the heat need to be somewhat medium to high. My sister in law told me to soak the sliced shallots in the water first, I’m not exactly sure why.