The Ultimate Beef Rendang
Photography by Sarah Tuck.
Patience is a virtue. Here, your wait will be amply rewarded with a deliciously aromatic beef rendang curry. Serve with rice and flatbreads or simply with just-cooked fresh green beans.
This recipe is from Sarah Tuck's book Coming Unstuck.
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
Spice paste
3 onions, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic
3 tbsp chopped peeled fresh ginger
5 red chillis, roughly chopped 2 stalks of lemongrass, outer leaves removed, roughly chopped
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground cardamom
Curry
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1.8kg stewing steak such as gravy beef, blade or cross cut
2 ½ cups (625ml) coconut milk
2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 kaffir lime leaves, whole
⅓ cup good-quality crunchy peanut or cashew butter
½ cup coriander leaves and 1/4 cup Asian fried shallots to garnish
Rice and flatbreads to serve
METHOD
Put the spice paste ingredients in a food processor and whizz to form a smooth-ish paste. Heat the oil in large heavy- bottomed pot and add the spice paste. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes.
While it’s cooking, cut the beef into 4cm-5cm pieces then add to the paste. Add three-quarters of the coconut milk and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over a very gentle heat for 5 hours, stirring occasionally. During this time lay a wooden spoon across the top of the pot and rest the lid on it so that a little steam can escape.
After 5 hours, stir in the remaining coconut milk, tamarind paste, brown sugar, kaffir lime leaves and peanut or cashew butter. Cook a further 20 minutes, remove kaffir lime leaves and serve, garnished with coriander and Asian fried shallots, with rice and flatbreads of your choice.
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Issue 115 is packed with inspiration for all kinds of cosy meals – whether you’re dining alone, as two or with a few. We start with our Plating Game interview with Jesse Mulligan which inspired a medley of curries and sides then move on to a round up of easy one-pan chicken dishes, a variety of pasta bakes and meatballs, and using one simple yet delicious tart base we whip up five fab filling options. Sarah’s wintry faves include a moreish chorizo (not) carbonara, lamb and spinach filo pie and we finish off with sweet treats and decadent puds. We love seeing what you create, don’t forget to share your dish dishes with our Facebook community. When it comes to winter cooking, make it SIMPLY YUM!