CurriesMalaysianMedium

Beef Rendang

Name: Beef Rendang
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 3 h 10 min
Total time: 3 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 1 cup (70 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut, unsweetened, finely shredded; 10 whole (12 g) dried red chilies, stems removed, seeds shaken out, soaked in hot water 10 minutes, drained; 3 whole (40 g) fresh red chilies (such as Fresno or red finger chilies), stemmed and roughly chopped; 6 medium (170 g) shallots, peeled and halved; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled; 2 inch piece (30 g) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 inch piece (40 g) fresh galangal, peeled and thinly sliced; 3 stalks (90 g) lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers and tops removed, bottom 5 inches (13 cm) thinly sliced; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable); 3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of large fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry; 2 cans (13.5 oz each) (800 ml) full-fat coconut milk, not shaken, contents scraped from cans; 1 cup (240 ml) water; 2 stalks (60 g) lemongrass stalks, outer layers removed, bruised with the back of a knife, tied in a knot; 4 leaves (2 g) kaffir lime leaves, torn in half, center rib left in; 1 3-inch stick (5 g) cinnamon stick; 2 whole (3 g) star anise; 4 whole (1 g) whole cloves; 1 tbsp (15 g) tamarind paste (concentrate); 1 tbsp (15 g) palm sugar or dark brown sugar, finely chopped or packed; 2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fall-apart beef chuck slowly simmered in coconut milk, a fragrant paste of galangal, lemongrass, ginger and chilies, and nutty toasted coconut until the sauce reduces to a dark, sticky, intensely flavored coating.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 3 hr 10 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 4 hr 15 min
Makes: About 6 cups (6 servings), served with rice

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the kerisik (toasted coconut paste)
1 cup (70 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut, unsweetened, finely shredded
For the spice paste
10 whole (12 g) dried red chilies, stems removed, seeds shaken out, soaked in hot water 10 minutes, drained
3 whole (40 g) fresh red chilies (such as Fresno or red finger chilies), stemmed and roughly chopped
6 medium (170 g) shallots, peeled and halved
6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled
2 inch piece (30 g) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 inch piece (40 g) fresh galangal, peeled and thinly sliced
3 stalks (90 g) lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers and tops removed, bottom 5 inches (13 cm) thinly sliced
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
For the rendang
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of large fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry
2 cans (13.5 oz each) (800 ml) full-fat coconut milk, not shaken, contents scraped from cans
1 cup (240 ml) water
2 stalks (60 g) lemongrass stalks, outer layers removed, bruised with the back of a knife, tied in a knot
4 leaves (2 g) kaffir lime leaves, torn in half, center rib left in
1 3-inch stick (5 g) cinnamon stick
2 whole (3 g) star anise
4 whole (1 g) whole cloves
1 tbsp (15 g) tamarind paste (concentrate)
1 tbsp (15 g) palm sugar or dark brown sugar, finely chopped or packed
2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste

Equipment (6)

Heavy 5-quart (4.7 L) wide pot or casserole with lid (stovetop only; no oven needed)
Small dry skillet or wok for toasting coconut
Blender or food processor
Spice grinder or mini food processor (for the kerisik)
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Rendang takes about 4 hours, mostly hands-off, but the last 30 minutes need constant stirring. Plan accordingly.
Use full-fat canned coconut milk and do not shake the cans; you want the thick cream and the thinner milk together in the pot.
Galangal, kaffir lime leaves and fresh lemongrass are sold at Asian grocers and often frozen; frozen works fine.
Wear gloves when seeding chilies and wash your hands well afterward.

1
Toast the coconut
- Place the desiccated coconut in a dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir constantly for 6 to 8 minutes until it is an even deep golden brown and smells nutty.
- Tip it onto a plate immediately so it stops cooking.
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Ready when: Evenly deep golden brown, nutty aroma, no pale or blackened flecks
Tip: Coconut goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Keep stirring and pull it off the heat as soon as it is the color of toasted almonds.
2
Make the kerisik
- Grind the warm toasted coconut in a spice grinder or mini processor for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides, until it turns into a dark, oily, slightly gritty paste like damp sand.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Clumping, glossy paste that releases oil when pressed
Tip: Grinding while still warm releases the natural oils, giving a smoother paste.
3
Soak and prep aromatics
- Cover the dried chilies with 1 cup (240 ml) very hot tap water (separate from the recipe water) and let soak 10 minutes, then drain.
- While they soak, peel and slice the shallots, garlic, ginger and galangal, slice the lemongrass for the paste, and chop the fresh chilies.
- Cut and dry the beef, and bruise and knot the whole lemongrass.
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Ready when: Dried chilies are pliable and bright red
Tip: Slice lemongrass and galangal thinly so the blender can pulverize them fully.
4
Blend the spice paste
- Combine the drained dried chilies, fresh chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, sliced lemongrass and turmeric in a blender with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the 1 cup (240 ml) recipe water.
- Blend 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down as needed, until a smooth, thick paste forms with no visible fibers.
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Ready when: Smooth, thick, uniformly red-orange paste
Tip: Add only as much water as needed to keep the blades moving; a thick paste fries better.
5
Fry the paste
- Heat the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over medium heat.
- Add the paste, cinnamon, star anise and cloves.
- Cook, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes until the paste darkens, smells sweet and toasty rather than raw, and the oil separates and pools at the edges.
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Ready when: Paste is deeper in color, fragrant, and oil visibly separates
Tip: Lower the heat if it spatters or sticks. Scorched paste turns bitter.
6
Coat the beef
- Add the beef and 2 teaspoons salt to the pot.
- Stir for 5 to 6 minutes over medium-high heat until every cube is coated and the surface of the meat turns opaque and greyish-brown.
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Ready when: All beef surfaces are opaque and coated in paste
7
Add coconut milk
- Pour in the coconut milk and the remaining water (about ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon / 195 ml).
- Add the knotted lemongrass and lime leaves.
- Stir, bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low.
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Ready when: Liquid reaches a gentle boil with small bubbles at the edges
Tip: Avoid a hard boil, which can make the coconut milk split too early.
8
Simmer covered
- Partially cover the pot and simmer on low for 90 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes and scraping the bottom, until the beef is nearly tender when pierced with a fork and the sauce has thinned and turned reddish-brown.
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Ready when: Beef yields to a fork with slight resistance; sauce is loose and oily on top
Tip: Keep the simmer to just a few lazy bubbles; vigorous bubbling toughens the beef.
9
Reduce uncovered
- Remove the lid and increase heat to medium-low.
- Simmer 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through the pot leaves a trail and the beef is fork-tender.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and clings to the beef; beef shreds easily with a fork
10
Add kerisik and seasoning
- Stir in the kerisik, tamarind paste and palm sugar.
- Cook 10 to 15 minutes on medium-low, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and paste-like.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
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Ready when: Sauce is very thick, nearly dry, and dark brown
Tip: Stir constantly toward the end; the thick sauce catches on the bottom quickly.
11
Fry until dark
- Continue cooking on medium-low for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring and scraping continuously, until the oil leaks out and the beef fries in it and the sauce turns a deep, dark chocolate brown.
- Remove the lemongrass knot, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and lime leaves if you like.
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Ready when: Deep brown, glossy, with almost no liquid left and oil shining around the beef
Tip: If it starts to scorch, splash in 2 tablespoons water and lower the heat.
12
Rest and serve
- Turn off the heat, cover and rest 15 minutes so the flavors settle and the beef relaxes.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
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Ready when: Sauce clings to the beef rather than pooling
Tip: Rendang tastes even better the next day.

Good to know

Tips

Keep cubes about 1½ inches so they stay juicy through the long cook rather than drying out.
Do not skip the kerisik; it provides the signature nutty flavor and helps thicken the sauce.
For a milder rendang, use 5 dried chilies and omit the fresh chilies.
Use a wide pot so the sauce reduces efficiently.

Make ahead

Rendang improves overnight. Cook completely, cool, and refrigerate up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months. Reheat in a covered pot over low heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave in 1-minute bursts.

Substitutions

fresh galangal → Extra fresh ginger (about 2½ inches / 40 g) plus 1 tsp lime juice at the end. Less peppery and citrusy, but still good.
kaffir lime leaves → Zest of 1 lime. Add with the tamarind in step 10.
tamarind paste (concentrate) → 2 tsp lime juice. Gives acidity without the fruity depth.
palm sugar or dark brown sugar → Dark brown sugar. Use the same amount.