Rendang (Indonesian Slow-Cooked Coconut Beef)

About This Recipe

Rendang originates from the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, a dish so revered it's often ranked among the world's best foods, its defining characteristic being an extraordinarily long cooking time that transforms coconut milk into a thick, dark, caramelized coating. A complex spice paste of galangal, turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, chile and shallot is fried until deeply fragrant before beef and coconut milk are added, and the whole pot simmers uncovered for hours, the liquid reducing continuously. The result isn't a saucy stew but nearly a dry dish, the beef so tender it nearly falls apart, coated in a dark, intensely spiced, almost toffee-like glaze that develops entirely from patient reduction rather than any thickening agent.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgbeef chuck(cut into large chunks)
• 6shallots(for spice paste)
• 6 clovesgarlic(for spice paste)
• 4dried red chiles(soaked, for spice paste)
• 2 tbspfresh galangal(for spice paste)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(for spice paste)
• 1 tbspfresh turmeric or 1.5 tsp ground turmeric(for spice paste)
• 3 stalkslemongrass(bruised)
• 4kaffir lime leaves
• 1turmeric leaf(optional)
• 1cinnamon stick
• 3 cupscoconut milk
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1 tbspsugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the spice paste

   Blend shallots, garlic, soaked chiles, galangal, ginger and turmeric into a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Fry the paste

   Fry the spice paste in a dry, wide pot over medium heat, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until deeply fragrant and darkened.

3. 3

   Add aromatics

   Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric leaf if using, and cinnamon stick, stirring 1 minute.

4. 4

   Add beef and coconut milk

   Add the beef chunks, coconut milk, salt and sugar; bring to a simmer.

5. 5

   Cook down slowly

   Simmer uncovered over low heat for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally and more frequently as the sauce thickens, until the liquid reduces significantly and darkens.

   Stir more and more frequently as the sauce reduces — rendang's final stage requires real attention, since the thickened coconut oil-based sauce can scorch quickly on the bottom.

6. 6

   Final reduction

   Continue cooking until the sauce becomes thick, dark and clings to the meat like a glaze rather than a liquid sauce.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve with steamed rice.

Variations

• •

  A 'wet' rendang, stopped before the sauce fully reduces, is sometimes served as a saucier stew called kalio.

• •

  Chicken rendang cooks in a fraction of the time and offers a lighter alternative.

• •

  Some versions add ground toasted coconut (kerisik) for extra texture and nutty depth.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 7 days in an airtight container; rendang is famous for improving with age and reheating well, and it also freezes exceptionally well for up to 4 months.

Frequently Asked Questions