Originating from Indonesia, beef rendang has been consistently voted as world’s top favourite dish. Its bursting with flavours and aromas. The ingredients list is extensive but the process is pretty straightforward.
I recently had beef rendang in Malaysia for the first time and was totally blown away with the flavours. Its like a flavor explosion. Then I ordered it at several different restaurants. Each time the flavours were a bit unique. Every restaurant had a different recipe for making it. Although I enjoyed it each time I ordered, I liked it the most at one specific place.
After coming back home to Germany, I tried to make beef rendang following a few different recipes from the internet and adding my own twists. I wanted to get the flavours and textures that my favourite version had. After several trials, I succeeded to get the same taste.
Beef rendang is kind of a curry, but on the drier side. It’s not overly spicy, as in hotness, but does contains lots of spices. It’s a very aromatic and flavour packed dish. The ingredients list is long, but the cooking process it pretty straightforward.
Where to get the ingredients from and storing tips.
The exotic ingredients needed in this recipe, like lemongrass, galangal, kefir lime leaves, could be found at Asian stores. Since Asian stores aren’t nearby where I live, what I like to do is to buy the ingredients whenever I am visiting the area near the Asian stores. Then I chop the ingredients up, transfer to ziplock bags and freeze (each ingredient separately). This way I can use them up whenever needed without having to visit the Asian store every time.
Alternatively, you can double or triple up the quantity of the paste that is needed for this recipe and freeze in portions. Just defrost and use whenever you want to make beef rendang again.
Can I make it using an Instant Pot? Or what if I do not have one?
Yes, I prefer using my instant pot for recipes with beef because it considerable reduces the cooking time. However, if you do not have an instant pot, you can make it in a standard pot. I have included the instructions for both down below in the recipe.
How to serve?
Beef rendang is typically served along jasmine rice. Jasmine rice is a kind of aromatic rice, which is rather sticky in texture. Alternatively, you can serve beef rendang along basmati rice or chapati.
Watch the video instructions below to easily follow the recipe
Beef Rendang
Equipment
- Blender
- Dry spice grinder
- Pressure cooker or Instant pot (optional)
Ingredients
For the paste
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 4 cloves (20 gm) garlic
- 2 inch piece (10 gm) ginger
- 3 inch piece (10 gm) fresh turmeric (or ½ tsp turmeric powder)
- 2 inch piece (10 gm) galangal
- 3 pieces (100 gm) shallots or baby onion
For the spice powder
- 10 pieces (10 gm) dry Kashmiri red chilies
- 2 pieces (2 gm) cinnamon sticks
- ½ tsp (2 gm) black peppercorns
- 6 pieces cloves
- 8 pieces (1.5 gm) green cardamom
- 1 tsp (3 gm) cumin seeds
- 2 tsp (4 gm) coriander seeds
- 1 piece star anise
Other ingredients
- ½ cup (40 gm) coconut oil
- 1 kg beef (bonless and cut into cubes)
- 2 tsp (10 gm) salt
- ¾ cup (200 gm) full fat coconut milk
- ½ cup (40 gm) shredded coconut (dried)
- 1 Tbsp (15 gm) brown sugar (or palm sugar)
- 2 Tbsp tamarind paste
- 8 pieces kefir lime leaves
Instructions
- For the paste: Smash the lemongrass all over using the back of a heavy knife. Remove the green ends, then slice the white part thinly. Peel the garlic cloves. Peel and slice the ginger and fresh turmeric (if using). Thinly slice the galangal. Peel and roghly chop the shallots/baby onion. Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. You can add a little water to ease the blending process but do not add too much.
- For the spice powder: Add all the ingredients marked under spice powder into a dry grinder and grind into a fine powder.
- Mix the spice powder into the prepared paste. Once it is thorughly mixed, our spice paste is ready. Keep aside until needed.
- Instructions for standard (stove top) pot: Put the pot on medium heat and add the coconut oil. Once hot, add the prepared spice paste. Saute on medium low heat for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. If it sticks on the bottom, you can add splashes of water. Once the mixture starts to leave the bottom and you see oil appearing on the surface (or mixture turning glossy), you can move on to the next step.Add the beef and mix quickly to coat with the spice paste. Add the salt and coconut milk and mix to combine. Cover and let it cook for about 90 minutes, until the beef is completely tender.In the meantime, take a skillet and dry roast the shredded coconut on low heat, stirring frequently, until it turns light brown. Then take it out of the pan and keep aside until needed.Once the beef is cooked, add the brown sugar, tamarind paste, kefir lime leaves (tear from the middle to release the aroma) and the roasted coconut. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes on medium low heat until you achieve a thick consistency. If you prefer a runnier consistency, you can add some more coconut milk or switch the heat off earlier.
- Instructions for Instant pot: Set the instant pot on saute mode (high) and add the coconut oil. Once hot, add the prepared spice paste. Saute for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. If it sticks on the bottom, you can add splashes of water. Once the mixture starts to leave the bottom and you see oil appearing on the surface (or mixture turning glossy), you can move on to the next step.Add the beef and mix quickly to coat with the spice paste. Add the salt and coconut milk and mix to combine. Put the lid on and set it to cook on high pressure (valve on sealed position) for 30 minutes.In the meantime, take a skillet and dry roast the shredded coconut on low heat, stirring frequently, until it turns light brown. Then take it out of the pan and keep aside until needed.Once the beef is cooked, open the lid and set the instant pot on saute mode. Add the brown sugar, tamarind paste, kefir lime leaves (tear from the middle to release the aroma) and the roasted coconut. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes until you achieve a thick consistency. If you prefer a runnier consistency, you can add some more coconut milk or switch the heat off earlier.