Beef Rendang

There are many types of rendang. People of different States have their own styles of preparing rendang. basically chicken or beef cooked in coconut milk, chillies, shallots and other ingredients. This dish is popular to go with nasi lemak or during the Raya festival, it usually goes with lemang.


Ingredients:

• 1 kg of beef ( I used the part that suitable for stewing)
• 1 big can of coconut milk
• 5 tbsp of kerisik*
• 2 assam gelugor/keping
• 4 lime leaves (daun limau purut),roughly torn
• 1 big daun kunyit (turmeric leaf), cut into 2; optional if unable to obtain

Blended together:

• 10 dried chillies, soaked until plump
• 10 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2cm galangal (lengkuas)
• 2 lemon grass (serai), sliced into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

Cut beef into cubes about 3cm in size, removing any visible fats. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok and add in the ground ingredients. Cook for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat until fragrant and the oil starts to surface. Add in the beef and cook, stirring until meat is firm and most of its liquid has evaporated.

Add in the coconut milk and assam gelugor and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the meat is tender. Add in kerisik, lime leaves and kunyit leaf. Continue cooking until the rendang is quite thick. Add salt to taste.

*To obtain kerisik, dry fry 11/2 cup of desiccated coconut (here I used desiccated coconut as freshly grated coconut is unavailable. If you have , then used the freshly grated coconut) over low heat, stirring continuously until the coconut is golden brown and crisp. Cool slightly and pound or whiz in chopper/food processor until very fine.