- 2 lb / 1 kg chuck steak, brisket or other slow cooking beef, cut into large cubes (around the size of golf balls) (see notes)
- 1 tbsp oil (vegetable, peanut, canola)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 star anise
- 3 cardamon pods (or ½ tsp of cardamon powder)
- 1 lemongrass stick, bottom half of the stick only and smashed (see notes)
- 14 oz / 400 ml can coconut milk (see notes)
- 2 tsp tamarind puree, or tamarind pulp soaked in 1 tbsp of hot water, seeds removed (see notes)
- 4 large / 6 small kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced (see notes)
- ⅓ cup desiccated coconut (finely shredded coconut)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1½ tsp salt
- Spice Paste
- 12 dried chilies, soaked in boiling water and deseeded OR 6 fresh long red chillies, deseeded and chopped (see notes)
- 1 onion (brown, yellow, white), finely chopped OR 6 shallots/eschallots chopped
- 3 lemongrass stalks, white part only, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ tbsp fresh galangal, finely chopped (see notes)
- 1½ tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola or peanut oil)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place Spice Paste ingredients in a small food processor and whizz until fine.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot over medium-high heat.
- Add Spice Paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamon pods. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spice paste.
- Turn heat up to high. Add beef and sear, stirring to sear all sides of each piece of beef until they are dark brown. The colour from the sear will add to the colour of the curry.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Bring to simmer, then immediately turn down the heat to low or medium low so the sauce is bubbling very gently.
- Put the lid on the pot and leave it to simmer for 1½ to 2 hours.
- Remove lid and check the beef to see how tender it is. You don't want it to be "fall apart at a touch" at this stage. If it is, remove the beef from the pot before proceeding.
- Turn the heat up to medium and let the sauce simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce down to a thick sauce that coats the beef cubes. Keep an eye on it at this stage because you don't want the sauce to burn. Beef Rendang is a dry curry and it is not supposed to be saucy, the concentrated flavour of the curry should be like a thick paste that coats the beef cubes.
- By this time, the beef should be "fall apart at a touch".
- Remove from heat and serve with Restaurant Style Coconut Rice.
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