Rendang Daging

(Indonesian beef simmered in coconut milk)

Rendang is a "dry" meat curry that originated in the Padang cuisine of west-central Sumatra. It has become popular throughout the Indonesian archipelago, as well as in Malaysia and Singapore. Rendang is an intensely flavorful dish often served on special occasions. The ingredients used to season it vary widely from region to region. Pick and choose as you have available.

Ingredients

• Onion or shallots, minced -- 1/2 cup
• Chile peppers, minced -- from 5 to 20
• Garlic, minced -- 3-4 cloves
• Salt -- 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric -- 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil -- 3 tablespoons
• Beef chuck or round, cut into thin slices -- 2 pounds
• Ginger or galangal, sliced into thin rounds -- 2-3 rounds
• Lemon grass, white part only, pounded flat -- 2 stalks
• Sugar -- 1 tablespoon
• Salt -- to season
• Coconut milk -- 4 cups

Method

1. Plase the onion, chiles, garlic, salt and turmeric to the bowl of a food processor or blender and process to a puree. Add a little water if necessary.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high flame. Add the onion puree and sauté until fragrant and some of the excess water has cooked out. Add beef and continue to sauté until meat is lightly browned and the onion puree is reduced to a paste. 4-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender and the sauce is reduced to a thick gravy. It will be necessary to add a little water now and then if the sauce becomes too dry before the meat is tender.
4. When the meat is very tender, allow the remaining water to evaporate out so the meat is frying slowly in the coconut oil that has rendered out. Let the meat fry this way for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and sugar and serve with steamed rice or ketupat (rice cakes).

Variations

• Rendang Kambing: use lamb instead of beef.
• Rendang Ayam: use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
• Rendang is typically made fiery hot with chilies. Adjust the amount to your liking.
• The onions and garlic can be eliminated if you prefer. Simply mix all the ingredients together, skipping the sautéing step, and simmer until the meat is tender.
• The following ingredients can be pureed with the onions and garlic if you like: shredded and toasted coconut; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 tablespoons coriander.
• One or more of the following ingredients can be added with the coconut milk if you like: 3-4 kaffir lime leaves; 3-4 whole cloves; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 4-5 curry leaves; 1-2 tablespoons tamarind paste; 2-3 crushed kemiri (candlenuts); 1-2 slices ginger; 2-3 bay leaves.
• During the cooking process, oil will separate out from the coconut milk and rise to the top of the dish, and rendang is typically fairly oily. You can skim any excess oil from the top of the dish if you like.
• Some cooks hold back half the coconut milk and stir it in toward the end to minimize oiliness.