Indonesian Beef Rendang
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs
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Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
10
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Calories
329 kcal
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Course
Dinner
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Cuisine
Indonesian
Indonesian Beef Rendang
Description
This rendang starts by creating a thick spice paste from onions, galangal, ginger, and fresh or dried chilies. The paste coats the beef deeply, which is then cooked covered at medium heat until partially tender. Coconut milk is added to mellow the spices and provide a rich base, cooking further until the sauce thickens. The dish balances earthiness from cumin, warmth from ginger and galangal, and citrus notes from kaffir lime and optional turmeric leaf. Stirring and careful heat control prevent burning the thickening curry.
Rendang is typically served with rice, offering a hearty, full-flavored main course. The rich sauce clings well to the beef, making it suitable for leftovers and flavors that deepen overnight.
Choose beef cuts like topside, shin, or brisket, cut into 2-inch pieces, and pierce them to help absorb the spices. Fresh lemongrass should be cut into one-inch pieces. Using fresh red chilies for the paste is preferred but chili powder is an acceptable substitute. The amount of chili can be adjusted to taste by adding more midway through cooking or starting with a moderate level as suggested. The turmeric leaf is optional but recommended when available for added aroma.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ pounds beef cut in chunks, boneless
- 2 onion finely chopped, medium-sized
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Coriander ground
- ½ Inch galangal
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons red chilli pepper powder or 10-15 fresh red chillies (see the note, or Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 lemongrass
- ½ turmeric leaf optional.
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 cans coconut milk 2 x 13.5 fl.oz. canned unflavored coconut milk, good quality
- 1-2 teaspoons salt according to taste.
Instructions
- Using a pestle and mortar, pound and grind the onions, galangal, ginger, and fresh chilies (if using) into a paste. You can also use a food processor to make this paste. Just put the onion, galangal, ginger, and chilies in the food processor. Then give it a blitz until all the become a thick paste.
- Put the meat in a big wok, add in the spices and herbs paste, the cumin, coriander, lemongrass, turmeric leaf, kaffir lime leaves, and salt.
- Stir until all the meat pieces are covered with spices. Put the lid on and cook at medium heat. Keep checking and stirring every now and again.
- After about 20-30 minutes when the meat looks cooked, add in the coconut milk. Stir and cook further with the lid on at medium-high heat until the milk reaches boiling point, then turn the heat to low. If the coconut milk overflows your cooking pan, you can take the lid off or leave it slightly ajar. Don't forget to always keep checking and stirring. And be careful with the boiling gravy that can be scattered around.
- Rendang should be ready within a few hours. But at this point, the rendang will have quite a bit of gravy. You can enjoy it if you want to.
- If you like to have a proper Rendang Hitam (black rendang), you have to cook longer for at least another hour. Until all the liquid evaporates completely and the color of your rendang becomes very dark brown. You can quicken the process by cooking at medium-high heat so the gravy evaporates quickly. But, take care not to let it stick to the wok, or worse, to burn. Keep checking and stirring.
- When all the sauce is gone, and the rendang turns dark brown, you can switch the heat off. Your black rendang/ rendang hitam is ready.
Notes
- Cut beef into 2-inch chunks and pierce to enhance flavor absorption.
- Use fresh lemongrass cut into 1-inch pieces or about 1 teaspoon lemongrass paste; avoid powders.
- Fresh red chilies are ideal for the paste but dried chili powder can substitute with similar results.
- Adjust the chili amount during cooking for desired heat; start moderate and increase as needed.
- Turmeric leaf is optional but recommended for aroma; if using powder, add 1 teaspoon.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 329 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 8portions | |
| Calories | 329kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 48mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 286mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 434mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 25IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 32mg | 3% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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