Beef Rendang

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SERVES 4 
PREP TIME: 30 MINS
COOK TIME: 2-2.5 HOURS 

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Ingredients

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RENDANG CURRY PASTE

3 LARGE BANANA SHALLOTS

8 GARLIC CLOVES

2 LEMONGRASS STALKS, BOTTOM PART, TOUGH OUTER LAYERS REMOVED

1 LARGE KNOB GINGER

8 DRIED CHILLIES, REHYDRATED FOR 5-10 MINS IN SOME BOILING WATER

1 TSP TURMERIC POWDER

1 TSP CORIANDER SEEDS, TOSATED & CRUSHED IN A MORTAR & PESTLE*

1 TSP CUMIN SEEDS, TOASTED & CRUSHED IN A MORTAR & PESTLE*

1 TSP FENNEL SEEDS, TOASTED & CRUSHED IN A MORTAR & PESTLE*

¼ CUP PEANUT OIL (OR OTHER NEUTRAL OIL) FOR FRYING CURRY PASTE

FOR THE RENDANG CURRY

1.5KG BEEF OF CHOICE, CHUCK, SHORT RIBS, SHANK

400ML COCONUT CREAM

3 CARDAMON PODS

3 CLOVES

2 BAY LEAVES

2 LEMONGRASS STALKS, TOPS

3 STAR ANISE

1 CINNAMON STICK

4 KAFFIR LIME LEAVES

1 TBSP TAMARIND PASTE

LIME JUICE, TO TASTE

SALT, TO TASTE

LARGE PIECE OF PALM SUGAR (BROWN SUGAR IF NOT PALM SUGAR)

TO SERVE

HERBS OF CHOICE I.E. CORIANDER, THAI BASIL ETC

TOASTED & CRUSHED PEANUTS

LIME CHEEKS 

COOKED JASMINE RICE 

SPRING ONION CURLS, FOR GARNISHING THE RICE

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Equipment

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FOOD PROCESSOR

RICE COOKER OR SAUCEPAN

HEAVY BASED POT FOR CURRY

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Method

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1. PLACE THE SHALLOTS, GARLIC, LEMONGRASS, GINGER, REHYDRATED DRIED CHILLIES AND TURMERIC INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR. ADD THE TOASTED AND CRUSHED CORIANDER, CUMIN AND FENNEL SEEDS, THEN BLEND UNTIL YOU HAVE A SMOOTH, THICK PASTE. ADD A SPLASH OF THE CHILLI SOAKING WATER TO HELP EVERYTHING BLEND.

2. HEAT THE PEANUT OIL IN A LARGE, HEAVY-BASED POT OR DUTCH OVEN OVER MEDIUM HEAT. ADD THE CURRY PASTE AND COOK, STIRRING REGULARLY, FOR 10-15 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE PASTE HAS DARKENED SLIGHTLY, BECOMING FRAGRANT AND THE OIL BEGINS TO SEPARATE FROM THE PASTE. DON'T RUSH THIS, FRYING THE PASTE PROPERLY DEVELOPS THE DEPTH OF FLAVOUR IN THE CURRY

3. ADD THE BEEF TO THE POT AND TOSS WELL TO COAT IN THE CURRY PASTE. ADD THE COCONUT CREAM, CARDAMOM PODS, CLOVES, BAY LEAVES, LEMONGRASS TOPS, STAR ANISE, CINNAMON STICK AND KAFFIR LIME LEAVES. STIR TO COMBINE.

4. BRING THE MIXTURE TO A GENTLE SIMMER, THEN REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW. COOK COVERED FOR 1.5-2 HOURS, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY, UNTIL THE BEEF IS VERY TENDER - THE LIQUID SHOULD GRADUALLY REDUCE AS THE BEEF COOKS.

5. ONCE THE BEEF IS TENDER, CONTINUE COOKING, THIS TIME UNCOVERED, STIRRING MORE FREQUENTLY AS THE SAUCE THICKENS. IF COOKING WITH BEEF CONTAINING BONES, REMOVE. AT THIS POINT THE COCONUT CREAM SHOULD HAVE REDUCED INTO A THICK, DARK, GLOSSY COATING AROUND THE BEEF AND THE OIL HAS BEGUN TO SEPARATE. THIS FINAL REDUCTION IS WHAT GIVES RENDANG ITS CHARACTERISTIC INTENSE FLAVOUR AND TEXTURE.

6. STIR THROUGH THE TAMARIND PASTE AND A GENEROUS PIECE OF PALM SUGAR. SEASON WITH SALT, THEN ADD LIME JUICE TO TASTE. CONTINUE COOKING FOR A FEW MINUTES, ALLOWING THE FLAVOURS TO COME TOGETHER. TASTE AND ADJUST - YOU WANT A BALANCE OF RICH, SAVOURY, SWEET, SOUR AND SPICY.

7. REMOVE THE WHOLE SPICES AND LEMONGRASS STALKS. SPOON THE RENDANG OVER STEAMED JASMINE RICE AND FINISH WITH HERBS, TOASTED CRUSHED PEANUTS AND LIME CHEEKS. GARNISH THE RICE WITH SPRING ONION CURLS AND ENJOY! 

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