Malaysian Beef Rendang is always a favourite to most locals. This traditional dish is often cooked during eid or even weddings. As you can imagine, it is slow cooked nothing to be rushed as the flavours oozes into the meat and cooks away on the stove top for hours.

The result is just magnificent beef that is combined with lemongrass, chillies, and coconut milk is just bursting with natural earthy flavours to die for. My mother always made beef Rendang the night before eid (like before xmas), she would spend almost 3 hours slow cooking this lovely dish and it’s extra delish the next day as the spices marinades overnight.

Here’s my somewhat simple version of Beef Rendang, I would say it’s best to cook it during the weekends as you get to enjoy the makings of it and of course the taste of Rendang. :)

Beef Rendang

Ingredients:

700g beef, cut into 4cm cubes

550ml thick coconut milk

400ml water

1 piece dried tamarind skin (asam keping)

2-3 kaffir lime leaves

2 stalks lemongrass, crushed

6 shallots, sliced

3 cloves garlic, sliced

4 tbsp dessicated coconut toasted

3-4 tbsp oil

10-15 dried chillies, soaked & blitz in a blender to a paste

5 fresh red chillies

3 slices galangal

3cm ginger

2½ tbsp ground coriander

Salt to taste

1 tbsp palm sugar

Method:

1. In a blender add shallots, garlic, chillies, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, and coriander. Heat up a large pot and add in the blended ingredients.
   
2. Fry the paste until fragrant on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add in lime leaves and tamarind juice stir for 30 seconds.
   
3. Fry in the beef and season with salt & sugar . Lower the heat to the lowest and add in the water, coconut milk and desiccated coconut and cook for 2-3 hours until beef is extremely tender and sauce is almost dry. Enjoy!