Beef rendang

Method

1. Trim any thick silver skin from the beef, cut it into large 4–5 cm chunks and pat dry with kitchen paper; the meat shrinks during the long cook, so keep the pieces big. Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 7 min, stirring constantly, until it passes golden and turns the colour of milk chocolate, then tip it out at once. When slightly cooled, pound or blitz it until the oil comes out and it becomes a moist paste. This is kerisik, which gives rendang its nutty depth and dark colour.

   Add in this stepUnsweetened desiccated coconut 25 g

   medium-low heat

2. Snap the stems off the dried chillies and soak them in hot water for 10 minutes; shake out the seeds if you want it milder. Peel the shallots, garlic, ginger and galangal and chop roughly; remove the stems from the fresh chillies. Put everything in a blender with the soaked chillies, the turmeric and 2–4 tbsp water and blend until completely smooth.

   Add in this stepShallots (or onion) 100 gGarlic cloves 4Fresh ginger 10 gGalangal (or extra ginger) 20 gGround turmeric 1 tspLarge red chillies 3Dried red chillies 5

3. Bruise the white base of the lemongrass with the back of a knife and tie it in a knot; tear the lime leaves along the centre vein. Heat the oil in a heavy 20 cm pot over medium heat and fry the spice paste with the lemongrass, lime leaves, cinnamon and star anise for 10 min. It is ready when it has darkened a shade, oil seeps out at the edges and the raw garlic smell has turned toasty. If it catches on the bottom, add water a spoonful at a time and scrape.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2 tbspLemongrass stalks 1Makrut lime leaves 4Cinnamon stick (5 cm pieces) 1Star anise 1

   medium heat

4. Add the beef and turn it over medium heat for 4 min until coated. Pour in the coconut milk and tamarind and bring to the boil, stirring, then lower to medium-low heat. Stirring as it comes to the boil keeps the coconut milk from splitting into curds.

   Add in this stepBeef brisket or chuck, in one piece 400 gUnsweetened coconut milk 500 mlTamarind paste 1½ tsp

   medium heat→medium-low heat

5. Simmer uncovered for 1 h 45 min, stirring every 15 minutes and scraping the bottom of the pot. Move on when the liquid has reduced to about a third, looks thick and red oil starts to float on top. This stage is called kalio, and it is delicious as a curry if you stop here.

6. Stir in the kerisik, palm sugar and salt, turn down to low heat and keep cooking for 35 min, stirring every 5 minutes at first and every 1–2 minutes once the sauce is nearly gone, or it will burn. It is done when the sauce clings to the beef as a dark brown paste and clear oil pools at the bottom of the pot. If a fork does not slide easily into the meat, add 100 ml water and cook a little longer.

   Add in this stepPalm sugar (or brown sugar) 2 tspSalt 1 tsp

   low heat

7. Turn off the heat, fish out the lemongrass, cinnamon and star anise and leave for 10 minutes to settle. Taste, adjust with salt or palm sugar and serve with hot rice. Rendang tastes even better the next day, so it is worth making extra.