Beef rendang

Preparing beef rendang for another dinner party...

Ready for blending...

Adding curry powder into the sauteed fragrant ingredients

Adding Karamel Masakan (thick caramel soy sauce)

Yummmm!

Ingredients

Almost 1 kg scotch fillet, cut into bite size pieces or 2cm cubes.

6-8 long dried chillies, torn in half and remove seeds (keep the seeds if you prefer it hot)

2 cinnamon sticks

4 green cardamon pods, pounded lightly

3 star anise

A pinch of fennel seeds

¼ cup vegetable oil

6 lime leaves, rolled and sliced, into in fine shreds

1-2 cups of coconut milk

3-4 tablespoon Malaysian curry powder

1 cup of fine desiccated coconut, dry toasted over low heat.

1- 2 tablespoon Cheong Chan Karamel Masakan (thick caramel soy sauce)

Salt and pepper to taste

For the blend paste:

1 Spanish onion, chopped

1 large golden shallot, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cm knob galangal, peeled

3 cm turmeric root, chopped

4 cm knob young ginger, peeled and chopped

2 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped only until the white part of the stalk ends

5-6 lime leaves, torn a little

Method

1. Soak the dried chillies in hot water and leave aside. Chop and slice all blend paste ingredients and place into a blender. Add the soaked dried chillies (soften) and blend them, adding a little of the soaking water from the chillies and a splash of vegetable oil.

2. Heat a heavy based pan or casserole pot. Add oil and fry the cinnamon sticks, cardamon pods, star anise and fennel seeds for about 1-2 minutes. Add the blended paste and fry until fragrant.

3. Add the rolled and finely sliced lime leaves. If you can get your hands on turmeric leaves at Inala or Woodridge markets, add ¾ turmeric leaf, rolled and finely chopped too. If unavailable at nearby fruit and vegetable shop, opt this one out. The blended paste already has the turmeric root.

 4. Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the curry powder and a little more vegetable oil to create a smooth paste.

5. Add steak cubes, coat it well with the paste. Stir in coconut milk and add about a quarter cup of water. Let it simmer for about half hour.

6. Add the toasted desiccated coconut. Stir and simmer for another half hour or more, until meat is tender and rendang is thick and still saucy. Add a little water if needed.

7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and Cheong Chan thick caramel soy sauce. This gives the dish its colour. This product is manufactured in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Imported widely here :)

Selamat Makan!