Rendang

Rendang Daging (West Sumatran Dry Beef Rendang)

Indonesia's most famous slow-cooked dish: beef braised for hours in coconut milk and a paste of chillies, lemongrass, galangal and aromatics until the liquid evaporates and the meat becomes dark, dry and intensely spiced. This is the fully reduced 'rendang' style of West Sumatra, traditionally served with steamed rice.

Prep

35 min

Cook

240 min

Total

275 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.2 kg (2½ lb) beef chuck or round, cut into 4 cm cubes, well-marbled chuck is closest to the Indonesian cut
• •200 g (7 oz) dried red chillies, soaked in hot water 20 min, use a mix of large mild and small hot chillies for layered heat
• •200 g (7 oz (about 1 medium)) large red onion, roughly chopped
• •10 g (6 cloves) garlic
• •20 g (a 4 cm knob) fresh galangal, sliced, do not substitute ginger alone; galangal is essential to the flavour
• •20 g (a 4 cm knob) fresh ginger, sliced
• •20 g (a 4 cm knob) fresh turmeric, sliced (or 1 tsp ground)
• •3 g (1 tsp) ground coriander
• •3 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
• •2 g (½ tsp) white pepper
• •3 whole lemongrass stalks, bruised and tied
• •6 whole kaffir lime leaves, torn, substitute 1 strip lime zest if unavailable
• •4 whole Indonesian bay leaves (salam leaves), substitute 2 regular bay leaves
• •10 g (½ tbsp) tamarind paste, seedless block or concentrate
• •1 whole cinnamon stick, about 5 cm
• •3 whole cloves
• •3 g (2 tbsp) toasted desiccated coconut (kerisik), added near the end for nutty depth
• •15 g (1 tbsp) salt, or to taste
• •15 g (1 tbsp) palm sugar (gula melaka), grated, substitute soft brown sugar
• •1.2 L (5 cups) thick coconut milk, fresh pressed is traditional; canned thick coconut milk is the closest home equivalent
• •120 ml (½ cup) water, only if needed to keep the pot from drying before the coconut milk splits

Steps

1. 1 Drain the soaked chillies. Blend them with the red onion, garlic, galangal, ginger, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin and white pepper, adding a splash of coconut milk if needed, to a smooth paste.
2. 2 In a heavy, wide pot (a Dutch oven is ideal), combine the remaining coconut milk, the spice paste, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, salam leaves, cinnamon, cloves, tamarind, salt and palm sugar. Bring slowly to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking so the paste does not catch on the bottom.
3. 3 When the coconut milk has darkened slightly and the surface is glossy with separating oil, add the beef and stir to coat. Pour in the water only if the level looks low; the meat should be just submerged in the wet, aromatic gravy.
4. 4 Reduce the heat to the lowest setting your hob allows. Simmer uncovered, stirring every 15–20 minutes to prevent sticking, for about 2 hours. The beef should reach an internal temperature of at least 85 °C / 185 °F and be tender when pierced with a fork. Skim off excess oil if you prefer a leaner finish, or stir it back in for a richer dish.
5. 5 Continue to cook, stirring more frequently now, for another 1–2 hours until almost all the liquid has evaporated, the coconut milk has fully split and reabsorbed its oils, and the meat is coated in a thick, dark, almost dry paste. The traditional Indonesian guideline is to keep cooking until the colour is deep reddish-brown and the sauce has gone from 'wet' (kalio) to dry (rendang).
6. 6 Stir in the toasted desiccated coconut (kerisik) and cook 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and palm sugar. The dish should be intensely savoury, gently sweet and warmly spicy, with a slick of spiced coconut oil.
7. 7 Remove the lemongrass, cinnamon stick and bay leaves if you prefer. Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice, or cool and store: properly dried rendang keeps covered in the fridge for 1–2 weeks, and is famously even better the next day.