Indonesian beef rendang is an immensely popular dish and beloved throughout Indonesia. It’s a stew made with beef, coconut milk, and a range of spices that creates a rich, flavorful taste that’s absolutely irresistible. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a side dish of white rice and a vegetable. Not only is this beef rendang recipe delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to make. Read on to find out more about this popular Indonesian dish and how you can make it at home.
What is Indonesian Beef Rendang?
Indonesian beef rendang is a spicy, coconut and beef-based stew. It’s a traditional dish of the Minangkabau people from West Sumatra, though now it’s found in various regions all over Indonesia. The beef is slow-cooked in a carefully crafted blend of spices, herbs, and coconut milk that produces an incredibly rich, flavorful stew. It’s the perfect combination of warming spices and a creamy, indulgent texture.
What Makes This Recipe So Special?
This beef rendang recipe is special for several reasons. Firstly, the combination of spices and herbs gives this recipe an amazing complexity of flavor—it’s truly a flavor like no other. Secondly, the long cooking time means that the beef is very tender and falls apart easily. Lastly, the slow-cooking in the spices and coconut milk produces an incredibly rich and creamy stew that’s so good you’ll want to come back for seconds.
How to Make Indonesian Beef Rendang
Making Indonesian beef rendang is incredibly easy. All you need is the below ingredients, a pot, and around three hours of time.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of beef cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons of ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons of ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons of ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
- 2 inches of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 large red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 2 cups of coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons of palm sugar
- 1 cup of white rice, to serve
Instructions:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some oil over a medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic, onions, coriander, cumin, turmeric, pepper and lemongrass and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the beef cubes, ginger and chillies, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk, tamarind paste and palm sugar, and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once the beef is tender and the sauce is thick and creamy, remove from the heat and serve with white rice.
Conclusion
Indonesian beef rendang is an incredibly flavorful and rich dish. Thanks to this easy-to-follow recipe, you can bring the taste of Indonesia to your kitchen in just a few hours. With its succulent beef, warming spices, and creamy coconut sauce, you can be sure that your family and friends will love it.
