Rendang recipe

Beef simmered uncovered in coconut milk for four to five hours until the liquid is gone and the spice paste fries the meat dark and dry.

5 hours and 20 minuteshard12 ingredients

Ingredients

• 1000 g beef chuck
• 1500 ml thick coconut milk
• 100 g toasted grated coconut
• 15 dried red chilies
• 12 shallots
• 8 clove garlic
• 60 g galangal
• 40 g ginger
• 3 stick lemongrass
• 2 turmeric leaf
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 tsp salt

How to make Rendang

1. Soak 15 dried red chilies in hot water for 20 minutes, then blend them with 12 shallots, 8 garlic cloves, 40 g of galangal and 40 g of ginger into a smooth paste. Keep the chilies whole with seeds: rendang is meant to be hot.
2. Toast 100 g of grated coconut in a dry pan over low heat until deep brown, then pound it until it releases its oil. This is kerisik and it is what separates Padang rendang from a curry.
3. In a wide wok, combine the paste with 1.5 litres of thick coconut milk, 3 bruised lemongrass stalks, 2 turmeric leaves, 6 kaffir lime leaves and 2 teaspoons of salt, and bring to a gentle boil uncovered. Never put a lid on rendang.
4. Add 1 kg of beef chuck cut into 4 cm cubes and let it bubble uncovered, stirring often.
5. After about 1 hour 30 the milk is a loose sauce. That stage is gulai, not rendang: keep going.
6. After about 3 hours the sauce is thick and orange-brown. That is kalio: keep going.
7. Stir in the kerisik and cook 1 to 2 hours more, stirring almost constantly at the end as the oil separates and the coconut solids fry the meat.
8. It is done after 4 to 5 hours total, when no liquid is left and the meat is coated in a dark, almost black spice crust. Add no sugar. Cooled, it keeps for weeks.

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