Beef Rendang Curry

INGREDIENTS

600 g – 1 kg beef for stewing (chuck or short ribs)
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
1 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
5 cloves
5 cardamom pods
5 – 6 lime leaves
1 tsp tamarind paste + 2 tbsp water
500 ml coconut cream
1 tbsp coconut palm sugar, or to taste
2 tsp salt, or to taste
120 g toasted unsweetened desiccated coconut
Water, as needed
¼ cup cooking oil

BLENDED SPICE PASTE

1 – 2 tbsp dried chilli paste
or 10 dried chillies, soaked, deseeded, and chopped

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
1 inch galangal, chopped
1 inch fresh turmeric
or 1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ cup water or cooking oil (for easier blending)

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the Spice Paste

Blend onion, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, coriander, fennel, cumin, and chilli paste (or rehydrated dried chillies) until smooth.

Note:
If using dried chillies, soak them in boiling water for about 5 minutes until softened. Deseed and chop into smaller pieces before blending.
Add a splash of water or oil as needed to help the blender, but keep the paste thick, not watery.

2. Fry the Spices

Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
Add cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and cardamom. Fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in the blended spice paste and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly dried down. The paste should deepen in colour.
Stir constantly to prevent sticking or burning. Add more oil if needed.

3. Add Beef & Lemongrass

Add bruised lemongrass and beef. Stir well to coat the beef evenly in the spices.

Cook for about 10 minutes, until the beef releases its juices and the liquid mostly evaporates. The beef will shrink slightly.

4. Coconut & Seasoning

Stir in coconut cream, salt, palm sugar, lime leaves (tear or bruise first), tamarind paste mixture, and toasted desiccated coconut. Mix well.
You should now have a rich, saucy pot.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil.

5. Simmer Low & Slow

Once boiling, immediately reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cover and simmer gently for at least 2 hours.

Every 20–30 minutes, stir thoroughly, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent burning and redistribute flavours.

If the sauce dries out before the beef is tender, add ½ to 1 cup water at a time.

6. Final Reduction

During the final 30 minutes, stir more frequently (every 5 minutes). Oil will begin to separate — a sign the rendang is nearly ready.
Remove the lid to speed up reduction.

Cook until the sauce is dark, thick, and clings to the beef, and the beef is fork-tender.

TO SERVE

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (more salt or sugar).
Once the beef is tender and coated in a rich, caramelised paste, your rendang is ready to serve.

Note: Rendang is a dry curry. If you prefer more sauce, add a little water and bring it back to a boil without reducing further, then turn off the heat.