Beef simmered low and slow in coconut milk and a fragrant spice paste until the sauce reduces to a thick, deeply savoury coating.
Beef rendang
- 1 kg beef shin or chuck, cubed
- 3 tbsp rendang paste (or a homemade spice paste of chilli, shallot, garlic, galangal and lemongrass)
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 200 ml water
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tbsp palm sugar
- salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp oil
- Fry the rendang paste in oil until fragrant, a few minutes.
- Add the beef and stir to coat in the paste.
- Pour in the coconut milk and water, add the lime leaves, cinnamon and palm sugar.
- Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 2.5 hours, until the sauce has reduced and thickened and the oil has separated slightly.
- Continue cooking, stirring more frequently towards the end, until the sauce clings darkly to the beef.
- Season with salt to taste and serve with rice.
What is rendang?
Rendang is a slow cooked dry curry from the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia. Beef is simmered for hours in coconut milk and a spice paste of chilli, shallot, garlic, ginger, galangal, lemongrass and turmeric until the liquid cooks away and the meat is coated in a dark, rich paste.
It is served at weddings and festivals such as Eid and is also popular in Malaysia, where versions tend to be a little wetter.
Ingredient notes and UK swaps
- Beef: chuck, shin or brisket in large chunks. These cuts turn tender with long cooking.
- Kerisik: toasted desiccated coconut ground to a paste. Dry fry desiccated coconut until golden and grind it. It adds a nutty depth.
- Fresh aromatics: lemongrass, galangal and turmeric leaf are traditional. Frozen galangal and ground turmeric are fine swaps.
- Paste shortcut: a good jar of rendang paste saves time if you cannot make the spice paste.
Serving and storing
Serve with steamed rice, or with nasi lemak or ketupat (pressed rice cakes). Rendang keeps very well, up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer, and many cooks say the flavour improves after a day.
Tips for the best beef rendang
- Real rendang takes time, the long, slow reduction is what gives it its deep colour and flavour, do not rush it.
- A tougher, well-marbled cut of beef like shin or chuck breaks down better over the long cooking time than a lean cut.
Why rendang needs so much time
The long, slow reduction is not just about tenderising the beef, it is what develops rendang’s deep, dark colour and concentrated flavour, resist the urge to turn up the heat to speed things up, since the sauce needs to reduce gradually to avoid catching and burning.
Frequently asked questions
Is rendang a curry or a dry dish?
It starts as a wet curry and reduces down to a much drier, thickly coated dish by the end of cooking.
Can I make rendang in a slow cooker?
Yes, though you will still need to reduce the sauce on the stovetop at the end to get the traditional thick, dry finish.
How long does rendang take?
Around 3 to 4 hours on the hob over a low heat, stirring more often towards the end as the sauce thickens and can catch.
