Rendang (updated)

I first blogged about the beef rendang recipe about 3 years ago.  After more visits to Penang and going on some very good cooking courses, food tours and talking to different expats about rendang, I've made a few tweaks based on the Nyonya recipes.  This seems to be the most popular version around Penang and Kuala Lumpur.  But special thanks goes to Nazilna of http://www.pickles-and-spices.com/. And Kieran https://www.expatriatelifestyle.com/people/Take-It-From-Me-Kieran-McCarry

Ingredients

1.5kg beef shin or chuck steak or chicken on the bone

Wet ingredients 

2 large white onions

1 inch ginger

1 inch galangal

2 lemongrass stalks

1 garlic bulb

2 green chillies 

Dry ingredients

50g palm sugar/ dark muscovado sugar

400 ml coconut milk

400ml water

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp salt

Coconut oil for frying

Dried spices

2tsp cumin

2 tbs coriander

2 tsp turmeric

1 cinnamon stick

3 tbs tamarind (reconstituted from pulp)

3 kaffir lime leaves

2 dried red chillies, deseeded

Secret Nyonia Ingredient is the toasted coconut flesh that is ground to a brown, butter consistency.  This can be done with dried coconut by adding a little coconut milk.  Then fry off on a low heat in a dry pan until all the coconut is toasty brown.  If you burn any of it, do not use any of it.  Once toasted, use a good solid mortal and pestle and pound ( not grind) the coconut until it turns into a butter.  Some cooks prefer grinding, but in my experience, most Nyonya people prefer pounding as they say it preserves the sweetness.

Directions

Blend the wet ingredients to a paste then fry off in a hot pan, do not have the heat to high as our not trying to caramelise the ingredients just bring them together for flavour, this should take about 5 minutes

Add the dry ingredients, including the milk and water, allow this to come together again for ten minutes before adding the diced beef.

Leave to simmer for two hours on a very low heat. You are looking for the oil in the coconut milk to separate and act almost as a frying agent.  Once it reaches this thick almost dry consistency, then stir in the coconut butter.  But try a taste before and after, then you will see why this step is essential.

Serve with fragrant boiled or steamed rice.