Meat Recipes - Beef Rendang Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 kg/2 1/4lb beef topside (pot roast) or rump (round) steak, cubed

• 115g/4oz fresh coconut, grated, or desiccated (dry unsweetened)

• 15ml/1 tbsp tamarind pulp, soaked in

• 90ml/6 tbsp water until soft

• 45ml/3 tbsp vegetable or groundnut (peanut) oil

• 2 onions, halved and sliced

• 3 lemon grass stalks, trimmed, halved and bruised

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1.2 liters/2 pints/5 cups coconut milk

• 15ml/1 tbsp sugar

• salt and ground black pepper bread and salad, to serve

For the spice paste:

• 8-10 dried red chilies, soaked in warm water until soft, seeded and squeezed dry

• 8 shallots, chopped

• 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped

• 50g/2oz fresh galangal, chopped

• 25g/1oz fresh turmeric, chopped

• 15ml/1 tbsp coriander seeds

• 10ml/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 5ml/1 tsp black peppercorns

Serves 6

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Method:

1. For the spice paste, grind the soaked chilies, shallots, garlic, galangal and turmeric until smooth. In a small pan, dry-roast the seeds with the peppercorn, then grind to a powder and stir into the spice paste. Use to coat the beef. Marinate for 1 hour.

2. Next, dry-roast the grated coconut in a heavy pan. Tip into a food processor, grind until it resembles brown sugar and set aside. Squeeze the tamarind, then strain it to extract the juice.

3. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onions, lemon grass and cinnamon sticks for 3-4 minutes. Add the beef with all the spice paste and stir-fry until lightly browned.

4. Pour in the coconut milk and tamarind juice. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.

5. Stir in the sugar and the ground coconut and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender (may take 2-4 hours, depending o the cut). Season and serve with bread and salad.

Note: Marinating beef cubes in an aromatic spice paste gives this dish a great flavor.