Malaysian. Main. Served at Daun Pisang (#4).

Beef rendang

Rendang is the dish I'd point to if someone asked me what Malaysian food is. Kerisik, the toasted coconut paste, is what makes it Malaysian rather than Indonesian, and the long fry-dry stage at the end is what makes it rendang rather than curry, so don't cut it short.

Cut the beef large, 3 to 4 inches. Smaller pieces fall apart over five hours, and chuck is the right cut.

Makes
Serves 12
Time
5–6 hours for 2 kg
Do ahead
Make it three days ahead. It improves in the fridge.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and braise

  • 2 kg (4.4 lb)beef chuck, 3–4" chunks
  • 4 cans (1.6 L)full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 cupwater to start. More only if needed
  • 1 cupkerisik (from 1.5 cups desiccated coconut)
  • 4 stalkslemongrass, bruised
  • 2 tbspfinely shredded kaffir lime leaves (~10 leaves)
  • 2–3turmeric leaves (daun kunyit), if you have them
  • 2 tsptamarind concentrate in 2 tbsp warm water
  • 1.5–2 tbsppalm sugar. Start low, kerisik is already sweet
  • Salt
  • 2 tbspkecap manis, optional, for gloss
  • 2cinnamon sticks
  • 3star anise
  • 4–5cloves
  • 3cardamom pods

Rempah

  • 10shallots
  • 2large onions
  • 10garlic cloves
  • 4 stalkslemongrass, white part
  • 10–15large dried red chilies, soaked and seeded (or 6–8 tbsp chili paste)
  • 3"galangal
  • 1"fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground)
  • 2"ginger
  • 4–6candlenuts (or macadamia)
  • 1.5 tspbottled shrimp paste in soya bean oil
  • 2.5 tspcoriander seeds, toasted and ground
  • 0.5 tspcumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 0.5 tspfennel seeds, ground

Kerisik

  • 1.5 cupsdesiccated coconut

Method

  1. Make the kerisik first. Rehydrate 1.5 cups desiccated coconut for 1 hour.
  2. Toast it in a dry pan on low, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes to golden. Pull it immediately.
  3. Blend 3 to 5 minutes until the oils release and it's a thick dark paste. You get about 1 cup.
  4. Blend the rempah completely smooth, with a splash of oil if it won't move.
  5. Sear the beef in batches in a hot skillet until well browned on at least two sides, then set it aside.
  6. In a 7 to 8 quart Dutch oven, fry the whole spices in 3 tbsp oil until fragrant, then add the rempah. Cook on medium 10 to 15 minutes, until the raw smell is gone and oil pools at the edges.
  7. Return the beef. Add the coconut milk, 1 cup water (just enough to barely cover), lemongrass, lime leaves, tamarind, and turmeric leaves.
  8. Partial lid, low heat. Stir every 15 to 20 minutes. Simmer 3 to 4 hours.
  9. Add the kerisik in the last hour, then the palm sugar and salt.
  10. Take the lid off and raise the heat slightly for the fry-dry stage, 45 to 60 minutes. The liquid is mostly gone and the beef is frying in the coconut oil, so stay at the stove.
  11. Stir constantly. It goes dark chocolate brown, with the sauce clinging like a glaze.
  12. It's done when the oil has fully separated, the beef is deeply caramelized, and almost no sauce remains.
  13. Stir in the kecap manis in the last minutes if using.

Notes

  • If it catches on the bottom, add a tiny splash of water and stir.
  • Kerisik keeps 2 weeks in the fridge, or you can buy it at a Malaysian grocer.
  • Reheat on low with a splash of water. The meat re-absorbs liquid. Do not boil.
  • The finished rendang fits in one 2-quart container.