Beef Rendang Accompaniments

When thinking of Malaysian curry, no one can go past the Rendang. Although dubbed ‘Malaysian Rendang’, this versatile mild curry is popular throughout South-East Asian countries such as Singapore, The Philippines and most famously, Indonesia, where it’s said to have originated. We have created delicious rendang recipes for beef, chicken, Mushroom and Salmon.

What is Rendang?

Rendang is a dry-style curry of tender pieces of slow-cooked beef, a perfectly balanced blend of spices, and toasted coconut. Rendang is one of Malaysia’s most iconic dishes. With sweet notes of kecap manis, the tang and fragrance of kaffir lime leaves and creamy coconut milk to balance out the richness, this authentic Malaysian curry is a perfect balance of texture and taste. The origins of this world-renowned dish can be traced back to the Minangkabau community of Padang in West Sumatra and were created, according to ancient archives, as early as 1000-1200AD when Indian traders would bring spices across the Bay of Bengal. The Minang people then began migrating to the Malaysian Peninsula to work and trade bringing with them this spice-rich curry. From there, Malaysians incorporated the addition of toasted coconut.

History of Malaysian Spices

Dating back as early as the 13th century, Arab traders are said to have introduced their renowned collection of spices from the Middle East including Cinnamon and Cardamom. During this time, the Chinese also established trading centres along the west coast of the Malay Peninsula to create a meeting trade point for the Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British. These cultures introduced their own culinary traditions and ingredients like peanuts, pineapple, avocado, tomato, squash and pumpkin from Europe and spices like Star Anise and Clove from China.

Beef Rendang Accompaniments

Malaysian Cuisine

With a diverse mix of flavours, textures and temperatures, Malaysian cuisine is one of the yummiest and most intense on earth. With a varied mix of three major ethnic groups, four languages, and three primary religions, this unique portion of the world has seen great influence when it comes to all facets but particularly with its cuisine. Heavily grounded in Southeast Asia’s rich spice culture and bordering neighbouring regions famous for their local delicacies and flavours, Malaysian cuisine has seen many influences from nearby Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, The Philippines and Vietnam.

Beef Rendang Accompaniments

Rendang Food Pairings

As important as the rendang recipe itself is to Malaysians, what to serve with beef rendang is arguably just as imperative. With its rich flavour and intense texture, maintaining a balance of freshness and tang is key. Below are some sides and entrée options we’ve created to help you learn what to eat with beef rendang, what to serve with chicken rendang, and which beef rendang accompaniments are best for your at-home Malaysian feast.

Sides

To offset the rich flavour of a Malay Beef Rendang Curry, we recommend serving it alongside a tangy and fresh Cucumber & Peanut Salad. Simply combine sliced cucumbers with crushed peanuts, chopped chilli (optional), 1tsp each of lemon juice, sugar & soy sauce and stir to combine. The crunch of the cucumber and peanuts with the zing of the dressing makes the perfect beef rendang accompaniment or even a great side for our Malay Mushroom and Tofu Rendang recipe.

If you’re not a beef eater, no problem! We have the perfect side dish when it comes to what to serve with chicken rendang. In a bowl, combine 1tsp each of toasted sesame seeds, vinegar & sugar, pineapple pieces, sliced cucumber and 2tsp sweet chilli sauce. This sweet and sour pineapple and cucumber achar pairs perfectly with our Chicken and Eggplant Rendang recipe.

Another must when it comes to serving up your homemade rendang is fluffy steamed rice and lots of it. Pair with some warm flaky roti bread and you have yourself an authentic Malaysian rendang dish.

Entree

Before eating rendang for a main, a great shared entrée often enjoyed in Malaysia is Nasi Lemak – their national dish. Placed in the centre of the table, diners can enjoy this famous combination of coconut rice, pickled vegetables, boiled eggs and dried anchovies to whet their appetite ready for the main event. Another popular entre to serve with beef rendang is Malaysian Chicken Satay – tender pieces of chicken threaded onto bamboo skewers and barbecued before serving alongside sweet peanut sauce.

Flavours of the World Spices

Our Flavours of the World Malay Rendang blend is a pure and authentic beef rendang packet mix modelled on the traditional rendang recipe of turmeric, coriander, paprika, cumin, sea salt (3g), fenugreek, chilli Kashmiri, cloves, galangal, bay leaves, ginger, garlic.

Though rich in spices, this blend is a mild one making it great for the whole family and lends itself so well to both meat and vegetarian options. Malay Rendang.

Malaysian Beef Rendang Curry

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