Beef Rendang Minang which is also known as Rendang Daging Minang in Malay, is one of my favorite food. I used to go to Sanur Indonesian Restaurant in Centrepoint Singapore during the 1980s. It is a dish I chose to learn to cook for my family. The beef is marinated and cooked into a coconut spice blend mixture. You can watch the full video on how to cook this dish below.
I was born and raised in Singapore and I lived in Kampong Chai Chee known in its early years as a wet market and vegetable farm. In the early 70s, the land was redeveloped into HDB flats.
From my kitchen window on the twelfth floor, in a distance you could see Opera Estate and further from there, you can see Changi Beach. I grew up with fond memories of my mum buying a packet rice mixed with a number of dishes which in Malay, we call nasi padang. As I grew older, she would learn to cook these dishes for me and they became my comfort foods. The ingredients were fresh because she bought them at these wet markets.
Rendang Minang History
Rendang is a Minang dish originating from the Minangkabau region in West Sumatra, Indonesia. It’s origins can be traced back to Indian merchants who brought their spices into Asian, influencing our local Asian cuisine. The only difference I know is that the Indians use dry spices whereas the Minang people used all fresh ingredients.
Beef Rendang Minang Recipe (Rendang Daging Minang)
This is an easy dish to cook but it takes time to prepare and blend the ingredients. Here is a step by step method for you to follow.
The Ingredients
- 1 kg beef (tender or topside – I use chuck steak or beef brisket)
- 2 cups thick santan (coconut cream)
- 2-3 cups thin santan (coconut milk)
- 2-3 fresh turmeric leaves (kunyit leaves torn to half)
- 5-6 kafir lime leaves (daun limau perut)
To Blend
Note: I blend a big lot of the spices and then separate them into a few batches to freeze for future cooking.
- 4/5 stalks serai (lemongrass) I exclude from blending and prefer to fry it first before adding other blended ingredients
- 10 to 15 dried chilli (soak in hot water before blending)
- 2/3 fresh chillies
- 12 small onions or 4 big onions
- 5 pips garlic
- Thumb size ginger (not too much)
- Thumb size turmeric (kunyit)
- 5-6 candlenut (buah keras or candlenut)
- 2 thumbsize galangal (lengkuas)
How to Make Kerisek
Dry fry grated coconut or desiccated coconut in a hot pan. Stir continuously until it is evenly brown. Remove and let it cool. Then pound the coconut till it becomes a paste. This paste is called kerisek.
The Preparation and Method of Cooking
- Heat pot or wok with two tablespoons oil and fry lemongrass for a minute, then add blended ingredients.
- Add kafir lime leaves and torn kunyit leaves.
- Fry till fragrant, let the oil separate from your mixture, then add beef and mix well in ingredients.
- When meat turns brown, add first lot of coconut milk and simmer.
- When mixture becomes dry, continue to add the coconut milk. Do not add water.
- Keep stirring occasionally, add salt if you need to.
- When beef is soft, add coconut cream and “kerisek”, a little at a time. Too much will heavily thicken it.
- If you have left over kerisek, freeze it for another time.
- Once cooked, serve with fluffy basmati rice and pickles.
Roti Jala with Rendang Minang
Roti Jala is a delicious light net crepes. It is another popular Malay or Minangkabau tea time favourite served with curry dishes or as in my home, served with our beef rendang.
I hope you enjoy cooking this dish and please do let me know in the comments below if you enjoyed the flavors of this very popular beef rendang.
