Description
Learn how to make this authentic Indonesian beef rendang recipe—an incredibly rich, tender and flavorful dish often called one of the most delicious in the world. With step-by-step instructions and substitution tips, success is guaranteed.
Ingredients
Thick paste
- 1 small thumb of fresh aromatic ginger root (Kencur), peeled. See substitutions in notes
- 3cm piece of fresh galangal root, peeled and chopped. See substitutions in notes
- 1 small thumb fresh turmeric root, peeled
- 3x Large red chilies, roughly chopped
- 9x Thin long red chilies, roughly chopped
- 6x Garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 11x shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- Oil for blending, see notes below
Spice mix + aromatics
- 4 Fresh kaffir lime leaves
- 4 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salem), see substitutions in notes
- 3 lemongrass sticks, green part removed. Halved lengthwise and crushed
- 3 Star anise
- 6 Cloves
- 4 Cardamom pods, crushed
- 1 Large cinnamon stick
- 1/2 Nutmeg, grated
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (or ethically sourced palm sugar)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
Others
- 1x Can of coconut cream (400ml)
- 2 cups of water, you can use stock instead if preferred, however, plain filtered water does the job perfectly fine.
- 1kg of beef, beef chuck is the best cut. Cut in cubes
- Oil for cooking
Instructions
Prepare the spice paste
- Prep all the ingredients - rinse the chilies, peel the roots, shallots, and garlic, and roughly chop everything.
- Blend until smooth - add all the paste ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor with a generous drizzle of oil, and blend until you get a smooth paste.
Cook the paste
- Heat a generous amount of oil on medium heat on a wok or large pot. Add blended paste with a pinch of salt, and cook for 5-8 minutes stirring constantly. The paste will start to darken.
- Add all the aromatics and stir for a few minutes or until fragrant.
Cook the beef
- Add the beef pieces and stir to combine. Cook on medium-high heat for a few minutes stirring constantly until golden brown.
- Add water and coconut cream, and stir to combine with all the ingredients. Adjust the amount of salt as required.
- Cook on low heat partially covered with a lid stirring occasionally to prevent sticking for at least 2.5-3 hours until fork-tender beef. If it looks too dry before ready, you can add a bit more water and coconut milk or cream, or stock through the process. **Please note the cooking time might vary depending on the type of beef.
Serve
This recipe pairs great with a side of steamed white rice and steamed green beans.
Notes
Substitutions
Aromatic ginger - If you can't find it fresh, you might be able to find it in powder form. Alternatively, use fresh ginger (half the amount) to substitute and add a dash of ground pepper.
Fresh galangal root, if you can't find galangal, substitute for ginger (1=1 ratio) and add a bit of lime zest. Alternatively, you might find galangal paste.
Indonesian bay leaves (daun salem), this typical Indonesian bay leaf has a unique flavor and aroma, but unfortunately, it might not be available in other countries. You can use 2 bay leaves as a substitute (half the amount)
Whole spices, the whole spices listed above (cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon sticks) can be substituted for powdered form.
Others
Adjust the amount of heat of this recipe, playing around with the amount of chilies you use. To reduce the heat, you can remove the seeds from the chilies. Also, note that large chilies are not that spicy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.