Indonesian & Malaysian · Lunch · Dinner
Beef Rendang
Rendang Daging
Tender chunks of lean beef slowly simmered in a fragrant chilli, lemongrass and galangal paste until the sauce cooks right down and clings to the meat. This lighter version uses lean topside beef, light coconut milk and only a spoonful of oil, served with brown rice.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 170 min
- Total
- 200 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 46% · Fat 24% · Protein 30%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 900 gLean beef topside (top round), trimmed of visible fat, cut into 4 cm cubes
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml)Light coconut milk
- 1 1/3 cups320 gWater for braising
- 1/4 cup20 gUnsweetened desiccated coconut
- 6 medium150 gShallots, peeled
- 6 cloves18 gGarlic, peeled
- 4 cm piece20 gFresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 5 cm piece25 gFresh galangal, peeled and sliced
- 3 stalks60 gLemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed
- 8 large10 gDried red chillies, seeded
- 2 large30 gFresh red chillies
- 1 tspGround turmeric
- 1 (7 cm)Cinnamon stick
- 2 wholeStar anise
- 4Whole cloves
- 4Green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 6 leavesKaffir lime leaves, torn
- 1 tbsp20 gTamarind paste
- 1 tbsp15 gPalm sugar, grated (or brown sugar)
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1 tbsp14 gVegetable oil
- 2 cups360 gBrown rice, uncooked
- 3 3/4 cups900 gWater for rice
Steps
- 1
Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and discard the soaking water.
- 2
Slice the white part of 2 lemongrass stalks; bruise the remaining stalk with the back of a knife and keep it whole.
- 3
Blend the soaked chillies, fresh chillies, shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, sliced lemongrass and turmeric into a smooth paste, adding a splash of the braising water if needed.
- 4
Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5–7 minutes until deep golden brown.
- 5
Pound or blend the toasted coconut until it turns oily and paste-like, then set aside.
- 6
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves and cardamom for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 7
Add the spice paste and cook, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until darker and fragrant.
- 8
Add the beef and stir for 3–4 minutes to coat it in the paste.
- 9
Pour in the coconut milk and remaining braising water, then add the bruised lemongrass, lime leaves, tamarind, palm sugar and salt.
- 10
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partly covered, for about 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
- 11
While the beef simmers, rinse the brown rice, bring it to a boil with the rice water, then cover and simmer on low for 40–45 minutes until tender; rest 10 minutes off the heat.
- 12
Stir the toasted coconut paste into the beef and cook uncovered for another 30–40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick, dark and clings to the meat and the beef is fork-tender (well past 71 °C / 160 °F).
- 13
Remove the whole spices and lemongrass stalk, taste for salt, and serve with the brown rice.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use boneless beef chuck instead of topside for a more melt-in-the-mouth texture, though it is fattier than the lean cut used here.
- Swap the galangal for extra fresh ginger if you can't find it, accepting a slightly less citrusy, piney flavour.
- Use regular full-fat coconut milk instead of light for a richer, more traditional sauce.
- Serve with cauliflower rice or steamed white jasmine rice instead of brown rice if you prefer a lighter or quicker side.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover rendang and rice in separate airtight containers within 2 hours. Eat the rendang within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot all the way through. The rendang freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool cooked rice quickly and keep it no more than a day in the fridge, reheating until steaming hot.
Make ahead
The spice paste and toasted coconut paste can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. The whole rendang can be cooked a day in advance, chilled overnight, then gently reheated until steaming hot, and it often tastes better that way.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (530 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 547 kcal | 103 kcal |
| Protein | 42 g | 7.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 63.4 g | 12 g |
| of which sugars | 7.5 g | 1.4 g |
| Fiber | 4.9 g | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 14.7 g | 2.8 g |
| of which saturated | 7.1 g | 1.3 g |
| Sodium | 497 mg | 94 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
