Do you dream of making one such dish with all of your spices from your spice rack that you can share with all of your friends, it doesn’t have to get over in a day and can be stored well for about a month! Yeah, you read it correctly. Rending is such a dish which can be stored for a month and you can relive it's flavours whenever you want and admire your culinary expertise.
This Indonesian cuisine was first introduced by the ethnic group of Minangkabau. In fact, the term Rendang or merendang is translated to a special technique of slow cooking where beef is marinated in spices and cooked over a low flame until it gets cooked well. The transition of the dish from a gravy boiling phase to a dry cooked phase gives the larder of aromas and quintessential brown color to the dish. In fact, you might wonder why I said you can eat it for a month long.
It is because of the correct use of essential spices that accounts for antimicrobial properties of the dish which makes it last for four weeks’ time. The use of coconut milk, turmeric leaves and many such ingredients unique to Indonesia makes this dish something you must try when you are there. Rendang Minang is the actual dish which is made in Indonesia. It’s a dry form of the dish which is slow cooked until all the spices and coconut milk caramelizes the beef and what you have is a resultant dark brown spice mixed beef.
This is eaten with the steamed long grain or plain rice. If you are in other south Asian countries like Malaysia or Singapore there also you’ll find Rendang. But the major difference between the RendangMinang and its Malaysian counterpart is its liquidier and moisty called Kalio. It is a gravy based dish and toasted grated coconuts are added to thicken the gravy. Malaysian Rendangdoesn’t take long to cook like the Indonesian Rendang because it doesn’t require caramelization of the beef.
Rendang has been awarded the prize of the number 1 dish is CNN’s list of the best food around the world in the year 2011 and also No. 1 in BBC’s list of the best food around the globe in the year 2017. Rendang is one of a kind dish that you must make at home for your guests or on any special occasions or celebrations. This stupendous dish shall make your family want to kiss your hands in adoration!
Make the best food of the Year, Rendang Minang
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg beef(prefer sirloins for the juicy and textured flavors)
- 6oo ml of coconut cream
- 100 ml of vegetable oil
- 4 Candlenuts
- 12 garlic cloves
- 300gm red chili
- 250 gm onions
- 50gm ginger
- 50gm galangal
- 50gm turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp coriander
- 1tsp salt
- 1tsp sugar
- 4 pods green cardamom
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- 10 cloves
- 4 lemongrass stalks
- 3 leaves of Kaffir lime
- Asam Keping 1 piece
- 2 turmeric leaves
Method
- Cut the beef into 4cm square pieces
- Blend all the ingredients I’ve listed from point 4 to 16 in an electric blender into a paste.
- Now add some vegetable oil to the wok and heat it. If you do not have a wok you can use a deep pan to make your Rendang.
- Put in the spice blend into the oil and lower the flame. Allow it to get cooked until the raw smell is out and oil starts to separate from the lump. Keep sautéing by sprinkling some water when it starts to stick to the wok.
- After it has been cooked well add the coconut milk along with well bashed and peeled lemon grass stalks, kaffir limes, and AsamKeping and turmeric leaves. After about a minute when the leaves start to release their flavors throw in your chopped beef.
- Cook the beef in low flame by stirring constantly so that the spice paste caramelizes the beef and infuses its flavors in the meat.
- Keep adding some water to avoid letting it burn down and stir continuously. Cook till it turns into dark brown color. It should ideally take you 3 hours or so till the beef gets well cooked and caramelized.
- Serve it hot with bread or long grain basmati rice. You can also serve it with plain rice and this won’t disappoint you.
So make this superstar dish of the year and enjoy the wonderful flavors of South Asian paradise.