Rendang Daging (Indonesian Beef Rendang)

  • Total Time - 3.5 - 4 hours
  • Preparation - 30 minutes
  • Slow Cooking - 3 - 3.5 hours
  • Servings: 6
  • Country: Indonesia
Dark, rich beef Rendang with coconut sauce, served with rice.

Rendang requires patience. The longer it cooks, the darker, thicker the sauce becomes, and the more tender the meat. It's best to cook it over very low heat to prevent the coconut milk from boiling over and to avoid burning. Once the sauce turns into a thick paste, you must stir more frequently.

Ingredients

For Meat and Liquids

  • 1000 g Beef (round, shank), cut into 4 cm cubes
  • 800 ml Coconut Milk, full-fat (ideally fresh or 2 cans)
  • 200 ml Water/Broth

For the Basic Paste (Bumbu)

  • 6 pcs Shallots or Red Onion
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 5 pcs Fresh Red Chili (or to taste) + 1 tsp Sambal Oelek
  • 2 cm Galangal (fresh, peeled)
  • 2 cm Ginger (fresh, peeled)
  • 2 cm Turmeric (fresh, peeled, or 1 tsp ground)

Aromatic and Leaf Spices

  • 2 stalks Lemongrass (bruised with a knife)
  • 4 pcs Kaffir Lime Leaves
  • 1 pc Turmeric Leaves (if available, otherwise omit)
  • 1 tsp Tamarind Paste
  • 1 tbsp Palm Sugar (or brown sugar)
  • to taste Salt

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing the Bumbu (Spice Paste)

Blend all ingredients for the Basic Paste (shallots, garlic, chili, galangal, ginger, turmeric) with a little oil into a smooth paste (bumbu).

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the bumbu paste for 5-7 minutes until it becomes intensely fragrant and darkens slightly. Add salt and sugar.

Step 2: Adding Meat and Coconut Milk (Gulai Phase)

Add the beef. Sauté it in the paste until it's seared on all sides and coated in the spices (about 5 minutes).

Add the coconut milk, water/broth, bruised lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and tamarind paste.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to minimum (it should only bubble very gently). Cook uncovered.

Step 3: Cooking and Reduction (Kalio Phase)

Simmer slowly for about 1.5 to 2 hours. The liquid will reduce by half and the sauce will darken (the Kalio phase). Stir every 15-20 minutes to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom.

Step 4: Slow Frying (Rendang Phase)

After 2 hours, the sauce should be thick. Continue cooking over very low heat. Now it is crucial to stir more frequently, every 5-10 minutes, to prevent the sauce from burning. This process transforms the sauce into a dry paste, and the meat begins to 'fry' in the coconut oil released from the sauce.

Continue cooking until the sauce is very dark, thick, and almost dry (another 1 – 1.5 hours). The beef should be tender. This is the final Rendang phase.

Step 5: Serving

Serve the Rendang hot with Jasmine rice. It is also traditionally served with fresh cucumber or other simple vegetables to cut through the richness.