Beef Rendang by Professionally Trained Chef Born in Sarawak, Malaysia

Adapted Malaysian Recipe by ChefSarawak based on chefs' request

Although Beef Rendang originates from Indonesia, these days it has become one of the most popular stews in her neighboring countries. Visitors to Singapore and Malaysia can find it anywhere from hawker stalls to five star hotels.

  Western style stews are usually flavored and thickened by root vegetables, but Beef Rendang is flavored and thickened by indigenous herbs, spices, and coconut cream, all of which are available locally in Malaysia.

   Beef Rendang is commonly served along vegetables and plain rice. It is also popularly accompanied by Nasi Lemak (coconut rice served with samba, fried peanut and anchovy) or rice cake cubes (ketupak) during times such as festivals, parties, or the Malay New Year. 

  If stewed with an old cow’s shin or skirt, it may take four hours or even up to a day, but when using quality beef and adapted cooking techniques and methods, Beef Rendang may only require roughly an hour’s cooking time. Beef rending always tastes better after sitting overnight and after reheating.

  This version of Beef Rendang is a professionally trained chef’s approach to stewing/braising Malaysian Beef Rending, which as mentioned before, incorporates the best of western cooking techniques for preparing Beef Rendang with ease, saving time, and achieving a better texture and consistency.

  I hope you all enjoy this approach to cooking an easier but tastier version of Beef Rendang. 

  Bon appetite!

Ingredients:

Dried herbs and spices

(1)    1 tsp. chili flakes

(2)    1 tsp. ground coriander seed

(3)    1 tsp. ground turmeric or 2 tsp grated fresh turmeric

(4)    1 tsp.  ground black pepper corns (plus 1/2 for seasoning beef cubes)

(5)   4 dried Sarawak indigenous bunkang leaves/ daum salam (Alternatively, use bay leaves)

(6)    2 tablespoons of palm sugar (Optional or TT)

Wet herbs and spices

1. 3 large shallots or onions (Chop roughly)

2. 5 cloves garlic (Chop roughly)

3. 4 red chilies (TT. Deseed and chop roughly)

4. 1 tbsp grated ginger

5. 1.5 tsp grated galangal

6. 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate

7.  2 stalks lemongrass or 2 strips lime zest (shredded)

8. 3 kaffir lime leaves

9. 3 tbsp. kirisi/Coconut comfit

Other

1. 350ml coconut cream

2.  2 tbsp butter

3. Salt TT

4. Flour for dusting

5. 1kg beef topside, shin, skirt, thick flank, brisket or rump steak

6. Oil for sealing beef cubes

Methods:

Preparation

1. Roughly chop the onions/shallots, garlic, and chili.

2. Cut beef into stew size cubes, season with salt and pepper, and dust very lightly with flour.

3. Shred the lemon grass roughly.

4. Prepare a piece of parchment paper for cartouche.

Step 1

In a blender, add the roughly chopped shallots or onions, garlic, chilies, ginger, galangal, and 100ml of coconut cream, and blend. Sieve to separate liquid and sediment.

Step 2

In a pot, heat the butter; add the shredded lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and ½ tsp. of salt, and sauté. Add the sieved sediment; continue to sauté until light brown. Then add all the dry ingredients; continue to fry until a fragrance is release. Deglaze the pot using the sieved liquid. Simmer.

Step 3

In a frying pan, heat up the oil until it is smoking, then quickly seal the seasoned and lightly dusted beef cubes until evenly brown. Discard excess oil in the frying pan. You may add brown sugar and kerisi now.

Step 4

Deglaze the frying pan with simmering liquid. Add the rest of the coconut cream, tamarind, kerisi, brown sugar (optional) and salt to season it lightly. Add browned beef cubes to the simmering liquid, stir. Give it a quick boil. Transfer everything to a pot. Cover with cartouche and place the pot into an oven, and bake it at 160-180C for an hour. When the stew is done, give it a final season. Discard the lemon grass, kaffir and bay leaves.

Notes:

1. Check the stew after 30 minutes as some ovens’ temperatures may vary.

2. If the oven temperature exceeds 200C, some pots will suffer damage.

3. If the accompanying salad is very sweet, it is unnecessary to add palm sugar/ brown sugar /sugar to the Rendang.

4. The liquid for braising should be around ¾ to the beef

5. If it bubbles too much, lower the temperature

6. if it dries too fast, add a bit more coconut cream, mix well lower the temperature, and continue to braise it.