Rendang Daging (Malaysia)
Malaysian rendang differs from the highlands Sumatran version in several subtle ways. It has a wetter consistency (it's often called "wet rendang" or "rendang basah") and features more coconut milk, creating a richer, creamier sauce. It also uses more lemongrass and tamarind for sourness, kaffir lime leaves and star anise. This variation includes Malaysian kerisik, a toasted coconut paste.
Ingredients
- 600g boneless beef cubes
- 5 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 quills (or 2 tsp ground) cinnamon
- 3 (or 3 pinches ground) cloves
- 1 star anise
- 3 cardamom pods
- 4 lemongrass, pounded lightly
- 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 1 cup water or beef stock
- 2 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 3/4 cup kerisik, (toasted coconut paste, see below)
- 1 tbsp palm sugar (optional)
- 2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
- salt to taste
Kerisik (mashed)
- 3 cups dissociated grated coconut
Spice (blend to paste)
- 10 shallots
- 2.5cm galangal
- 3 stalks lemongrass crushed (white part only)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 slice ginger
- 5 dried Bird's eye or Thai chili (aka cili padi), discard seeds
- 5 fresh Bird's eye or Thai chili, discard seeds
Preparation
Prepare the spices by putting all the shallots and the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend them into a paste.
To prepare the kerisik you will have to toast the grated coconut until golden brown and then transfer a small batch to a mortar and pound it until it turns into a oily paste. Repeat this until you have the desired amount.
In a medium sized pot, heat the oil and add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry until aromatic. You can use a cheese cloth or a tea steeper basket to keep the hard spices all together while cooking.
Add beef cubes and the pounded lemongrass and stir. Next, add the coconut milk, the tamarind concentrate, water or broth, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked.
Add palm sugar if you like sweet rendang, and optionally the kaffir lime leaves. Continue to stir while adding the the kerisik (toasted coconut) and then cook at low heat, stirring occasionally until the meat is tender and the consistency is right, not too liquid as too flow but not too dry either.
This stew will serve 2 hungry stew lovers.