Beef Rendang Recipe

• 1-2 kg stewing beef, cut into 1" chunks
• extra garlic, sambal olek, soy sauce and oil

• 4-6 cloves garlic (fresh and not pre-pureed bottled garlic as it tastes foul)
• 2" piece of fresh ginger, skinned
• 1 medium onion or a bunch of shallots
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder (or preferably the fresh root)
• 3-4 tbsp sambal olek (Indonesian Chili Sauce, do not use sweet Thai Sauce)
• salt to taste or soy sauce

• 1 cup of coconut milk or paste
• 1-2 teaspoons tamarind paste
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2-3 mashed kemiri/candle nuts
• oil for frying

Rub the beef with mashed garlic, Sambal Olek, soy sauce and oil. Let marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge.

Make a paste (in a blender or food processor) of everything in the second group of ingredients (garlic ... soy sauce). If it is too thick to blend add some oil. Modify the spices according to taste, however you must use a lot of the chili paste as this is the central ingredient for the sauce.

Heat oil in pan until it is very hot. Add the beef and sear until brown all over (about 4-5 mins).

Add the spice paste, mix and cook on high heat for another few minutes.

Add the final group of ingredients (except candle nuts). Bring to boil then simmer for about 2 hours. Stir regularly (every 20 mins or so) as the sauce tends to be thick and dry.

With half and hour to go, check sauce thickness. The sauce should be a thick sauce when finished. Add candle nuts to thicken and then leave with lid off to reduce the liquid levels and make the sauce a thick pasty consistency (stir more frequently to stop sticking).

This dish improves with age so I usually cook it the day before I want to eat it and then reheat. Cuts down workload if you are cooking several dishes.