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Beef Rendang

If you never had this before, beef rendang is a spicy dry beef curry with a Peranakan origin. Peranakan is a culture that evolved in the 15th century when Chinese immigrants started setting foot in South East Asia. With intermarriages between these new immigrants and the locals, the new ethnic group was born. I love the Peranakan culture, it has the most beautiful and intricate artifacts that captures the exquisiteness of both civilizations. One of the best heritages from this group is its food. Peranakan food has a distinctive influence of both Chinese and Malay cultures, giving them their unique flavours and characters.

Beef Rendang is absolutely one of my husband's favourite dish. I suspect he could probably eat this everyday for the rest of his life! My husband likes it so much that there are two restaurants in Wellington where he can actually walk in, grab a table and they just bring the dish to him. And if I happened to be with him, the waiter would kindly offer me the menu and my husband a nod.

I tend use a good cut of meat, like sirloin steak. It helps to cut down on cooking time. With the tougher cuts, you may have to increase the cooking time to help tenderize the meat. If you are health conscious like me, use light coconut milk.

Beef Rendang
Ingredients:
1 kg Beef

1 Cinnamon stick
5 Star anise
8 Cloves
10 Cardamon pods
1 tsp Chopped lemon grass
1 tbsp Tamarind concentrate
1 1/2 tbsp Brown sugar
5 Lime leaves
300 ml Coconut milk
300 ml Water
1/4 cup Cooking Oil
3 tbsp Desiccated coconut
Salt to taste
A few sprigs of coriander for garnish

Spice paste:
1 medium Brown onion
10 Dried chillies (more if you like it hot)
1 inch Galangal
1 inch Ginger
1/2 tbsp chopped lemon grass
5 Candle nuts (optional)

Steps:
1. Deseed and soak dried chillies in hot water.
2. Cut beef into 1 inch cubes.
3. Blend ingredients for spice paste together in a blender.
4. Heat oil in a pot. Add blended spice paste. Fry till fragrant for about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamon pods and lemon grass. Stir fry for another 1 minute.
5. Add meat to the pot and fry till almost cooked.
6. Add coconut milk, water and lime leaves.
7. Simmer on low heat for about 1 hour 45 minutes or until liquid dries up. Keep an eye on the beef rendang, giving it a gentle stir every now and then to make sure it does not burn.
8. While beef is cooking, toast desiccated coconut in a frying pan on the stove till light brown. Set aside.
9. Now, add brown sugar and toasted desiccated coconut. Add salt to taste and cook for another 15 minutes.
10. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice (Coconut rice is lovely with Beef Rendang. Check out my for Nasi Lemak recipe next.)

Serves: 6

* Like any curries, beef rendang often taste better the next day and the next and the next.
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