Rendang : Taste of Indonesia

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How to Cook a Rendang

Do you rendang? It makes a startling change from the old Irish stew that hangs around in my childhood memories. I don't know if the alleged Irish stew was ever eaten in Ireland, they probably get stuck into rendang themselves in the Emerald Isle.

Rendang is a mild meat curry served mainly in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, spiced up with galangal root, lemongrass, kerisik, lime leaves, and coriander seeds.

The authentic rendang recipe calls for kerisik but, here in Australia, I use a tin of coconut milk. (Coconuts don't grow on trees in the south of the continent). It may not be 100% authentic but the taste is absolutely superb and, with the lemongrass and lime to lift the flavour, it's always a big hit with family and guests.

 

Ingredients you need for Easy Rendang 

This quick and easy recipe uses red curry paste straight from the jar. If you want to make a real curry paste yourself - your best bet is to look at the video from Asia Downunder just below this text. Geeling Ng shows you how to make lovely curry paste in your blender with candlenuts, shrimp paste (terasi, belacan, blachang, mam tep) shallots, galangal, fresh turmeric, sweet chillies, lemongrass and toasted coriander seeds.

I just use the jar of red curry paste, and add a few more ingredients.

What you need

* 500 g chopped up stewing beef, that's roughly 1lb, don't worry about exact measurements - this is Indonesian food, it was developed without precise kitchen scales

* oil to cook with

* a clove or two of garlic

* 5 g chopped lemon grass, one stalk should do the trick

* 2 -4 medium size chopped onions, depending on your taste in onions

* 1 and 1/2 - 2 cups of coconut milk.

* 125 g red curry paste, half a cup, or to your own taste

* 20 g - a pinch of turmeric powder

* 1 bunch of fresh coriander

fresh red chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Don't understand the measurements? : Here's a handy kitchen measurement converting tool

Indonesian Ingredients : Kerisik 

The authentic Rendang recipe calls for kerisik, which is toasted fresh grated coconut.

Can't get kerisik? I have trouble too. Use coconut milk instead.

 


I believe that Coriander is called Cilantro in some places. At any rate, you can recognise it from this photo

How to cook the Rendang 

* Place the beef in a medium saucepan, and add enough water to cover it. This is stewing beef and needs to be cooked a fair bit before you throw it in the wok. Cover, and simmer over low heat for at least an hour.Take it out, and set it aside. Better still, do this the night before.

* Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat.

* Add in the garlic and stir fry for a few seconds before stirring in the lemon grass and onions.

* Reduce heat to medium, and stir in the coconut milk, red curry paste, turmeric, and chili pepper.

* Now you get to the beef. Put it in the wok, mix it into the sauce and cover the wok.

* Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. Turn off the heat.

* Chop up your fresh coriander and stir it in briefly just before serving. (Save some for garnishing).

Dark Rendang

Indonesian Ingredients : Galangal 

What's galangal? It's a rhizome - one of the group of knobby underground stems that are pungent and full of flavour. It's hot, and ginger-peppery.

Greater galangal is also called Laos Ginger, or Thai Ginger and sometimes even Siamese ginger.

This creamy white-fleshed rhizome can be found in Asian markets.

Rendang Ayam cooking demonstration 

From Asia Downunder

Chicken Rendang

Runtime: 4:15

powered by Youtube

Making Rendang in the Slow Cooker 

1 and 1/2 kilos, 3 lbs, beef suitable for stewing meat, cut into chunky pieces. Put the beef in your slow cooker.



In a blender or food processor combine

* 4-6 red chilies, stemmed and coarsely chopped (I always take out the seeds to reduce the heat level)

* small onion, chopped

* 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

* 3 garlic cloves, chopped

* 1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, and the tender insides finely sliced

* 1/3 cup tamarind paste (combined with 1/3 cup warm water)

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1 teaspoon ground coriander

* 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Puree until smooth, then pour over the beef.

Stir in a medium size can of coconut milk and cook, covered, on the low setting for 5-6 hours.

Ladle most of the sauce into a small saucepan and cook over medium high heat to reduce until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Pour the sauce back in the cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes to 1 hour longer.

Stir in 2 teaspoons sugar and season with salt to taste.

Slow Cook with Safety 

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Recipe : Serve with Cucumber and Tomato Salad 



Take

* 3 -4 chopped tomatoes
* 2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
* one chopped onion.

Place in a salad bowl.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle with lemon juice. Chill.

Recipe : Serve with Perfect Steamed Rice 


3 cups, Thai jasmine rice
water, about 3 and a half cups

Method
Once upon a time I would rinse rice in several changes of cold water until the water was clear. Then I would drain well in a large fine-mesh sieve.

In Australia, water is scarce, and I fill a bowl of water and wash the rice in that as best I can. However you do it, wash the rice.

Put the rice in a heavy pot, add water. How much water? Put your hand in the pot - spread your fingers out on the base - the water should cover your knuckles.

Bring to a boil, and let it boil uncovered, without stirring, until steam holes appear in the rice and the grains on the surface look dry. Watch carefully, it doesn't take very long.

Reduce heat to very, very low, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Recipe : Serve with Chunky Yoghurt Sauce 


3 cups yoghurt
2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
1 green chili cut in chunks and deseeded
one onion, chopped
1 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a bowl, add the salt, pepper, to the yoghurt and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Add onion, green chili and mint leaves. Mix well.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with roasted cumin powder. Refrigerate until required.

Indonesian Food Safari 

with Maeve O'Mara

Another superb how-to
from the fabulous Australian series
on SBS. Runtime : 10.00

powered by Youtube

Recipes, Raves and Reviews 

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Singaporean, Malaysian & Indonesian Cuisine 

With 68 recipes divided into Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian recipe sections.

A one-page spread picture accompanies each recipe, very helpful for anyone not familiar with some of the ingredients, or with the final outcome.
Singaporean, Malaysian & Indonesian Cuisine

Singaporean, Malaysian & Indonesian Cuisine

by: Christina Sjahir Hwang, Wei-Chuan Publishing

Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 12/23/2009)Buy Now

A glossary of ingredients, seasonings, spices and herbs is followed by recipes for stocks, condiments, pickled salads, sambal chilli sauces and assorted spice pastes. These spice pastes (used in many of the recipes) are what gives this cuisine its fragrant, rich and savoury flavours.

A 'must have' for those who want a taste of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia .. with easy instructions for any level of cook.

More from Indonesia 

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10% of my income goes to continue the work of Fred Hollows in treating avoidable blindness and improving indigenous health.

Photo : Khim Rath, who can now see after a successful cataract operation, Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia.

Blindness is a significant public health issue in Cambodia. Over 160,000 people are blind and an additional 20,000 become blind each year. The main cause of blindness is cataract, which can be treated by a simple 15 minute operation at an average cost of $25 (AUD$35).

Thanks for dropping by .... 

Thanks very much for dropping by to read about cooking Rendang. You're more than welcome to leave a note in the guest book above and, if you're a member of Squidoo, you can also rate this lens :)

It's all much appreciated, Susanna

For more pages like this, my lens collection is at Susanna's Lensography

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About Susanna Duffy 

My Bio

G'day from Melbourne, Australia where I write about King Arthur, Mythology, Legendary Beasts, Ancient Rome, Books, Fairy Creatures, Australiana and Adventures in my Kitchen. I'm also a Charity Mentor and an Honorary Squidoo Angel

I'm the GroupLeader of these vibrant communities -
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