The Best Way to Cook Beef Rendang Curry

With kaffir lime, lemongrass, coconut, and other ingredients cooking in your kitchen, the aroma of rendang are unmistakable and irresistible. Traditionally, rendang was used to preserve meat in a tropical climate before refrigeration. Today, however, Malaysian Beef Rendang Curry has become one of the world’s favourite curry dishes.

The Mighty Beef Rendang Curry

Any Malaysian Rendang Curry starts with a spice mix that is rich in galangal, lemongrass, garlic, onion, and chillies – Click Here to check out our authentic blend. Adding kaffir lime and tamarind will give a sugary touch to your beef rendang curry and take its deliciousness to the next level. This is a classic Malaysian curry and requires balancing the sweet, sour, salty, and chilli heat. Apart from beef, you can also use mutton and lamb for preparing rendang. Duck and chicken can also be considered since they take lesser time to cook.

Rendang 101

There are four components to rendang – the spices, the meat, the paste, and other added ingredients. Understanding how to handle these four components correctly will give you a delicious rendang curry at the end. The spices for a rendang curry can be anything from the catalogue of Malaysian spices. Nevertheless, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and coriander seeds are commonly used.

You can either dry fry these spices before adding to the stewing pot or use Malaysian rendang curry powder. The process of dry frying re-ignites the scent and flavour of the spices. It also holds good when you are using the spices in their powdered form. Stir regularly on low heat until the aroma gets stronger. Typically, this step takes about ten minutes on average.

The Paste

The paste is nothing but a mixture of all the different aromatics used in the recipe. So, you can include nearly anything you think heightens the taste of your beef rendang. However, it is essential to include galangal, lemongrass, garlic, chilli, and shallots. While the traditional process pounded together this mixture using pestle and mortar, you can use a blender or food processor for preparing the paste. Add a little salt and oil to help the mix release its juices.

Once blended, saute the mixture in oil the colour turns dark, and you see the oil rising to the top. This is a sign that aromatics have fully developed their flavour before you can add in the spices.

Meat

Now comes the meat. The traditional method often involved placing and cooking the meat in the paste. But consider searing it first for giving a superior texture and flavour to the final dish. So, place the meat in a pan smeared with oil and let it rest for about one to two minutes. Once you sear all the sides of the meat, make sure it has been padded dry. Lastly, combine the three components, add other ingredients, and stew everything to enjoy a delicious beef rendang curry.

Preparing the beef rendang curry at home is extremely easy. This curry goes well with a variety of sides, as well. So, get ready to treat yourself with this aromatic and mouth-watering recipe today!