Unlike most curries, this one is drier with minimal sauce as the meat is meant to absorb all the flavour while it cooks down.
Beef rendang
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the spice blend
3 shallots, sliced
3cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 lemongrass stalks, chopped
4 cloves garlic
10 dried chillies, soaked in warm water and seeded
Canola oil for frying
1 stick cinnamon
3 cloves
3 star anise
3 cardamom pods
Salt and milled pepper
1kg beef short ribs
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
2 cans (410g each) coconut cream
2 tsp tamarind pulp or concentrate (optional)
1 cup water
5 kaffir lime leaves
1/4 cup desiccated coconut, toasted + extra for serving
1 Tbsp brown sugar Flatbread, for serving
Method
- Blitz spice ingredients until fine.
- Heat oil in a pot and fry 3 Tbsp of the spice paste for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir through whole spice and cook for another minute.
- Season beef well. Add beef and lemongrass to pot and brown well, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add coconut cream, tamarind pulp or concentrate (if using) and water. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Stir through lime leaves, desiccated coconut and sugar, then simmer covered for about 1½ hours or until meat is tender and sauce has reduced almost completely. 7. Serve hot sprinkled with extra coconut, with flatbread on the side.
Recipes & styling: Chad January
Photographs: Zhann Solomons
