Rendang Daging — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Chunks of beef braised for hours in coconut milk and a thunderous spice paste of galangal, lemongrass, and chilies until the sauce caramelizes into a dry, intensely flavored dark coat — Malaysia's crown jewel of slow cooking.

Ingredients

1kg beef chuck, cubed
400ml coconut milk
200ml coconut cream
10 dried red chilies, soaked
6 shallots
4 cloves garlic
3cm galangal, sliced
3cm ginger, sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
1 turmeric leaf
6 kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp kerisik (toasted coconut paste)
Salt
Sugar

Instructions

1 Blend soaked chilies, shallots, garlic, galangal, and ginger into a smooth paste.
2 Combine spice paste and coconut milk in a heavy pot, bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly.
3 Add beef cubes, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric leaf, and tamarind paste.
4 Simmer uncovered on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring frequently as the liquid reduces.
5 When the sauce is nearly dry and the oil separates, stir in kerisik and continue cooking until the meat is coated in a dark, caramelized paste.
6 Season with salt and sugar. The rendang should be dry, intensely fragrant, and deeply brown.

Did You Know?

In 2017, rendang was voted the world's most delicious food by CNN readers for the second time, sparking joyous celebrations across Malaysia and Indonesia.