Indonesian Oxtail Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
1kg oxtail/beef tail, cut into serving pieces
½ tablespoon chopped ginger
½ nutmeg, bruised
1 scallion, cut into 2-3 pieces
1 tablespoon margarine
200g carrots, cut into 3cm pieces, then halved or quartered
250g potatoes, cut into 4-6 pieces
salt

Ground Spices:
6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon peppercorns

Garnishing:
Fried shallots
scallions
chopped Chinese parsley
melinjo nut crackers

Directions:
Put oxtail in a pan with 2 liters water and bring to the boil. Carefully scoop off and discard the scum floating on the surface. Discard the stock and replace with 2 liters clean water. Add chopped ginger, nutmeg and scallion. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat until tender. Remove the tail, reserving 1½ liters stock. Bring the stock to the boil, then add oxtail. Heat margarine and fry ground spices until fragrant. Add to the boiling stock, then add carrots and potatoes. Bring to the boil until the ingredients are thoroughly cooked. Garnish with fried shallots, scallions, Chinese parsley and melinjo nut crackers. Serve hot.