Shared by Rose Benjamin
Shared by Rose Benjamin
Beef Rendang (Spicy Beef with Coconut Cream)
Yield: 4-6 servingsTime: 3 hours
Beef Rendang (Spicy Beef with Coconut Cream)
Yield: 4-6 servingsTime: 3 hoursFamily Journey
BaghdadBombay (present-day Mumbai)Singapore
Sydney
In Rose Benjamin’s family, Shabbat dinners often include beef rendang, a dish commonly enjoyed in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, where she grew up. Infused with fragrant aromatics like makrut lime leaves and lemongrass, the beef simmers low and slow until fork tender; in Indonesian, “merandang” means “slowly,” referring to the long cooking time of the dish. It’s thickened with the addition of candlenuts, an ingredient known for its high oil content which is commonly used to thicken Southeast Asian curries. Candlenuts are mildly toxic when raw; if you can’t find candlenuts, substitute an equal amount of macadamia nuts. Serve the beef rendang with jasmine rice.
Read more about Rose Benjamin and her family in “The Flavors of Iraq, India, and Singapore Meet in This Jewish Kitchen” and try her recipes for red snapper arouk, quick pickled cucumber salad, and Singaporean chicken rice.
Ingredients
For the spice paste:
- 5 medium onions, peeled and quartered
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 6 candlenuts
- 1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 two-inch piece fresh galangal, sliced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 10-12 dried chilies, such as Chiles de Arbol (depending on your desired heat level)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 oz. tamarind paste, whisked with 1 ¼ cups warm water
For the stew:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 stalks lemongrass, tied together
- 6 makrut lime leaves
- 2 lbs. boneless beef chuck cubes
- 1 ½ cups coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, ground
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Preparation
Step 1
Put all of the spice paste ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with an ‘S’ blade. Process into a fine paste.
Step 2
Add the olive oil to a 6 quart pot and heat over medium heat. Add the ground spice paste to the pot and saute until aromatic, stirring to mix thoroughly. Cover with the lid and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until fragrant.
Step 3
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the lemongrass knots and makrut lime leaves to the pot, followed by the beef chuck cubes. Stir thoroughly for 5 minutes, allowing the beef to absorb the flavors.
Step 4
Add the coconut cream, beef bouillon powder, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer on low heat so the sauce is bubbling very gently. Add more salt and sugar to taste if needed.
Step 5
Stir in 1-2 cups of boiling water, then continue to simmer, partially covered, for about 2 hours, until the beef is meltingly tender and the rendang gravy is thickened. Stir and add more water if needed, to ensure the rendang doesn’t dry out.
Step 6
The sauce will be a pale brown color. Towards the end, when the sauce has reduced, the oil will separate and the dish will turn dark brown. Once the dish reaches a dry, curry-like consistency, turn off the fire. Serve hot, with rice.
