After spending 3 weeks in Europe eating predominantly Western food. Now that I am back, in addition to eating out in some of my favorite Chinese places, I also decided to go on a cooking spree and make some of my favourite ‘Asian-centric’ comfort food.
After a fairly successful effort in making authentic Hong Kong style Wonton Noodles at home a few days back.
Today’s ‘Piece de Resistance’…( using a secret recipe from a friend’s Indonesian maid that includes Tamarind paste, fresh Galangal and Candle Nut ) I made myself a pretty darn fine tasting ’ Beef Rendang ’ using beef shank.
( due to kitchen lighting??.. the photographed product somehow looks more yellowish green than orange-brown?! )
Looks good to me. I haven’t made beef rendang in awhile but have had good results following a recipe in Cradle of Flavor by James Oseland, which I also found online here:
Edit: looking at my copy of the book the recipe above is slightly different from the one from Cradle of Flavor. I found another recipe online that is closer to the one in the book:
I used 2.2 pounds of beef shank cut into 2-inch chunks
6 shallots or 1 small red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2-inch knob ginger, sliced
1 tablet palm sugar or 1 tblsp brown sugar
3 candlenuts
2 tblsp sambal oelek
2 stalks lemongrass, 1 minced and 1 bruised for the pot
2 tsp salt
1 15-oz can Coconut Milk
6 Kaffir Lime Leaves 4 for the pot, and 2 sliced thinly
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Grind 6 shallots or 1 small red onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 stalk lemongrass, and 3 candlenuts. Add to pot.
Slice 2-inch knob ginger. Add to pot.
Bruise 1 stalk lemongrass. I just break the stalk every few inches to release the aroma. Add to pot.
Finely slice two kaffir lime leaves. Add the sliced leaves and four whole leaves to pot.
Add 1 tablet palm sugar or 1 tblsp brown sugar, 1 tblsp sambal oelek, 2 tsp salt, a 15-oz can of 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon.
The ingredients look so pretty!
Add everything to the pot and fill a 5- to 7-quart stock pot about half full with water. The extra room is needed as the oils in the rendang might splash as it starts cooking down. Simmer on medium-low with the lid off. This is an all-day affair
My total cooking time at low temperature was around 4.5 hours
Good luck!
Me too! Always appreciate feedback from an expert like you!!
As to the beef,…aromatic, spicy and with just the right amount of sweetness. Not too bad!!
