Beef Rendang

TIME1.5 hours (pressure cooker) or 3-4 hours (slow cooker) MAKES3-4 servings PORTION
0.5x 1x 2x 3x

A traditional Singaporean rendang is cooked down until there is almost no sauce left – i.e., it is a ‘dry’ curry or stew. Thickened with toasted coconut and flavoured with chilli, caramelized coconut milk, lemongrass, whole spices, and lime leaves, rendang is an explosion of flavour.

Beef rendang is typically served alongside white rice, and sambal kangkong.

INGREDIENTS

  • 0.8-1kg boneless beef short ribs (cut into 2 inch cubes)1
  • 5 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 cinnamon stick (about 2-inch long)
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 star anise
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 lemongrass (cut into 4-inch length and pounded)
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk (Ayam brand preferred)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp soaked in some warm water and strained (alternatively jarred tamarind pulp is fine).
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves (very finely sliced)
  • 6 tablespoons kerisik (toasted coconut)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar/palm sugar or to taste

Rempah (spice paste)

  • 5 shallots
  • 1 inch galangal
  • 3 lemongrass (white part only)
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 10-12 dried chilies (soaked in warm water and seeded)

STEPS

  1. Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until a smooth paste forms.

  2. Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry them until aromatic.

  3. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute.

  4. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked.

  5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar/palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.

  6. There are two cooking options at this point:

    • Slow cook: lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 2 – 3 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up.

    • Pressure cook: pressure cook on high for 40-45 minutes. When done, reduce the sauce by about 3/4, or when it has a thick, almost pasty, consistency. If the beef is close to disintegrating, remove it from the sauce before reducing, and add it back at the end.

  7. Add salt to taste. If not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight. Sprinkle some kerasik over the beef at service.

NOTES

  1. Any other cut of beef suitable for slow cooking, such as chuck, works well here. ↩︎