Beef Rendang

This week, I brought Indonesia into my kitchen. Well of course not literally but through cooking one of the country’s most famous dishes, beef rendang. Admittedly, I was not quite certain what I was getting myself into when I first planned the recipes I would be making for the week. An Indonesian beef stew sounded simple enough to make for dinner, but apparently, I was terribly mistaken. Fortunately, tito Brando Santos and tito Pipo Aluning, mom’s chef friends from Les Toques Blanches (LTB) Philippines Chefs Association, generously provided me with their recipe for the dish which I used as a base for what I wounded up making.

Beef rendang is believed to have been originally introduced to the Minangkabau--an Indonesian ethnic group--by Indian merchants. Over time, the dish was brought across various borders by immigrants; hence, it has been adopted by several other neighboring countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Each country inserts its own key ingredients which set the numerous types of beef rendang apart from one another.

This Southeast Asian specialty is definitely on the more complex side to cook, but it allowed me to practice some of the techniques I am already familiar with and acquaint myself with more. Although it takes a great deal of patience to make, the rich depth of flavor brought about by the different layers of spices combined with the tenderness of the meat justifies the long and complicated process. Even if I encountered several minor difficulties when I prepared this dish, I am sure that I will be making beef rendang again in the future.

Recipe

Yields 8-10 servings

~ Ingredients ~

Spice Paste

25 grams or 5 cloves garlic, chopped

50 grams or 1 small red onion, chopped

15 grams or 1 thumb ginger, chopped

10 grams desiccated coconut, toasted

10 grams cilantro

1 piece fresh turmeric, grated

20 grams or 2 stalks of only the white part of the lemongrass, chopped

1 shrimp broth cube

60 ml or ¼ cup vegetable oil

*5 grams dried chili

*1 green chili, seeded and chopped

Beef Rendang

750 grams beef camto (flank)

750 grams beef short ribs or brisket

45 ml or 3 tablespoons liquid seasoning

30 ml or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1000 ml or 4 cups coconut milk

*Canned coconut milk tends to produce a sauce with a whiter shade.

1000 ml or 4 cups water

1 beef stock cube

60 grams or 4 tablespoons brown sugar

15 grams lemongrass

30 ml or 2 tablespoons soy sauce

5 grams cilantro

2 pieces anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (5-6 pieces of fresh tamarind boiled, peeled and seeded)

*1 tablespoon of tamarind sinigang mix will do if tamarind pulp is not available.

Garnish

Fried Shallots

Bokchoy, blanched

~ Procedure ~

Spice Paste

• In a food processor, mix in all the ingredients listed.

*I did not add the chilis into the initial spice paste and processed them separately for my younger brother to be able to enjoy the dish without complaining about it being too spicy for his taste. I added the paste at the end after I have set some of the beef aside for him.

Beef Rendang

• Marinate the beef in the liquid seasoning for 30 minutes.

• In a deep pot, add in the vegetable oil and brown the beef.

• Add in the spice paste and mix them together.

• After a few minutes, pour in the coconut milk and wait for it to boil.

• Pour in the water, beef stock cube, brown sugar, lemongrass, soy sauce, cilantro and tamarind pulp. Mix them all together.

• Add in the cinnamon stick and anise.

*I placed mine in a teabag, so it will be easier to remove once it is done cooking.

• Let it cook down for 2 hours or until the beef is soft and the sauce has cooked down to your desired consistency.

*If you did not mix the chilis into the paste in the beginning, this is the part of the recipe to add them into.

• Garnish with fried shallots and bokchoy.

• Serve and enjoy!