Chef John’s Beef Rendang

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Description

The sauce in this amazing Indonesian curry might be invisible, but you’ll know it’s there. As it reduces, the water evaporates, leaving behind the fat and flavor that make this dish so unique and addictive. Originally, cooking meat this way helped preserve it in hot and humid Indonesia. Turns out, people continued making it long after refrigeration came around. Serve with steamed rice, garnished with cilantro and lime if desired.

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ pounds beef chuck
  • 4 shallots, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 (1 1/2 inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 1 ½ inch piece galangal, peeled and sliced
  • 2 serrano chile peppers – stemmed, seeded, and sliced
  • 1 Fresno chile pepper – stemmed, seeded, and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Korean red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ stalk lemongrass, light part

Instructions

  1. Cut beef chuck into 2-inch pieces.
  2. Combine shallots
  3. garlic
  4. ginger
  5. galangal
  6. serrano and Fresno chiles
  7. salt
  8. red pepper flakes
  9. coriander
  10. turmeric
  11. cardamom
  12. and nutmeg in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until paste is very finely ground
  13. stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
  14. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the curry paste. Cook and stir until it starts to dry out
  15. then stir in the beef. Add coconut milk
  16. tamarind paste
  17. and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Fill up the empty can of coconut milk with water and pour it into the pan. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a simmer.
  18. In the meantime
  19. bruise lemongrass with the back of your knife. Cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces and add to the curry. Reduce heat to medium. Cook
  20. uncovered
  21. stirring occasionally
  22. until beef is fork-tender and sauce is fully reduced
  23. about 4 hours. Stir more frequently as water reduces; add more water or lower the heat if sauce is reducing faster than beef is softening.
  24. Remove lemongrass to serve. For best results
  25. let cool and serve the next day.

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 4 hrs 5 mins

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 8

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