Beef Rendang

[Shiewie]

Thank you for the Rendang Minagkabau recipe, kew.

The Rohani Jelani rendang recipe I got from her class is not quite the same as the on the kuali website. The cooking class one has kerisik in it . Will dig it out later and post it for you to see whether it qualifies as a real rendang in your books . Her nasi kunyit recipe from the class is properly soaked and steamed the traditional way .

Alright!!!

Like I said, I think the recipes on that site are simplified versions.

You know ... my Mom is even more .. err ... picky. According to her the Rendang Minagkabau isn't *real* rendang because it doesn't have spices (like the coriander, cumin and the likes). But when I made it one Raya a few years ago (I usually make Rendang Johor to bring back home to my parents), she and Dad both said it was yummy but *not* rendang in the proper sense. We're Johorians, you see .....

I will post more rendang recipes when I can.

edited to add : do you think my instructions on making kerisik clear enough for those totally unfamiliar with it? Please feel free to add anything else. I don't think Chinese cooking uses kerisik eh? Well, maybe the modern dishes but not the traditional ones, right? I know even the Chinese restaurants have sambal belacan and more nowadays!

kew - your instructions on making kerisek are fine - very descriptive - I can picture it from reading what you've written .

Had a look at Rohani Jelani's recipe last night - her instructions for making kerisik are a lot briefer in fact ... and a food processor is used to grind the kerisik . However, the ingredients in her recipe for Rendang Daging (meat rendang) are almost identical to yours though the proportions vary slightly. There are no bird's eye chillies in it - guess that's a variable depending on how pedas (spicy) one likes it? Will post it here later (checked e-gullet's copyright terms - can post it as long as I change the instructions).

Kerisik in Chinese cooking? None but Malaysian Chinese cooking is a bit mixed up (as a result of adapting to its environment I guess) and even more so in my family than most since once of my grans was a sireh-chewing (betel nut leaves) Nyonya.

[JustKay]

There are no bird's eye chillies in it - guess that's a variable depending on how pedas (spicy) one likes it?

Bird's eye chillies are what makes this rendang a "minangkabau rendang". Minagkabau dishes almost always have bird's eye chillies. Masak Lemak Cili Padi, Udang Masak Cili Api, etc ...

Chef Wan has concocted a lovely rendang recipe a few years back on one of his shows ... 3-chilli rendang. It uses 3 types of chillies ie the dried ones, the fresh red ones, as well as the cili padi. I've made this and it's quite yummy. I will have to dig out this recipe (I think I've lost it though)

I love Nyonya dishes (well, I love food ). The best I had was at the Coffee Garden at the Malacca Riviera Resort which happened to have a Nyonya promotion while we were staying there. I know there are quite a few Nyonya restaurants in KL but they are not Halal certified. Laksa Lemak is a Nyonya dish isn't it?

[Tepee]

Just saw this thread....I love Rendang too! I remember when I was almost due with my 2nd child, I just had to have rendang for lunch and walked uphill in the hot sun to get it. That night my bag burst, but it was worth it.

I've a rendang recipe from Jelita magazine which has some gula melaka in it. The 2 times I cooked it, I had good reviews. Will have to dig it up.

[JustKay]

Just saw this thread....I love Rendang too! I remember when I was almost due with my 2nd child, I just had to have rendang for lunch and walked uphill in the hot sun to get it. That night my bag burst, but it was worth it.

I've a rendang recipe from Jelita magazine which has some gula melaka in it. The 2 times I cooked it, I had good reviews. Will have to dig it up.

Hehheh ... TP ... it seems that when you're pregnant you've had cravings for Malay food ... but still your kids can't eat hot food.

When I was pregnant with my eldest son, all I wanted was durian everyday. But he does not like durian, even the smell of it turns him off. (Come to think of it, it was durian all 4 times. LOL!)

And oh ... the durian season has begun. I saw 5 'stalls' by the old trunk road yesterday evening.

[Pan]

Not too much heaty food for a pregnant lady?

[Tepee]

Heaty food is OK, it's cooling food, like watermelon, black grass jelly drink, certain vegetables which are taboo.

Nope, it was the slope and the load which did me in.

Edited May 26, 2004 by TP(M'sia) (log)

[tryska]

Kew - I just wanted you to know - that I had a conversation with a vietnamese friend yesterday, and we plan to do a cultural food exchange in the next couple of weeks. She wants me to go shopping with her to get ingredients to make Indian food, and in turn she's taking em to the Asian Groceries so I can find the ingredients I need for my rendang.

[Shiewie]

Ok kew - here it is for your critique

ROHANI JELANI'S BEEF RENDANG

Ingredients

500g (approx. 1 lb) lean beef (use a stewing cut)

1 cup grated fresh coconut

15 - 20 dried chillies

15 shallots

2-cm (1-inch) piece old ginger

2-cm (1-inch) piece galangal

3 stalks lemon grass (white section only)

1-cm (1/2-inch) piece fresh turmeric root

600ml (approx. 2 1/3 cups) fresh coconut milk (squeezed from 1 1/2 coconuts)

1 - 2 pieces asam gelugor / asam keping (dried tamarind skin)

1 small turmeric leaf - shredded

2 kaffir lime leaves

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

2 tsp sugar (or to taste)

Instructions

1. Cut beef into slices of 2-cm (1-inch) by 3-cm (1 1/2-inches). Set beef slices aside.

2. Prepare the kerisik (dry roasted grated coconut) by placing the grated fresh coconut into a DRY wok over low heat. Do not add any oil. Toss and stir the grated coconut over low heat until the coconut is crisp and golden brown. Remove from heat. Cool the coconut slightly then grind it finely in a food processor. Set aside.

3. Cut the dried chillies into 3-cm (1 1/2-inch) lengths. Soak the cut chillies in wam water for 15 mintues until softened. In the meantime, scrape the skin from the ginger, galangal and turmeric root. Cut the ginger, galangal, lemon grass and turmeric root into slices. Drain and grind chillies in a blender / food processor together with the ginger, galangal, lemon grass and turmeric root with enough water for the blades to work. Grind until you get a fine paste.

(Note - The turmeric root will stain your fingers and chopping board. To avoid having orange fingers, I usually hold it in place with a small fork instead of directly with my fingers.)

4. Place the beef, ground chilli paste and coconut wok in a large wok. Bring mixture to boil then reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally until most of the coconut milk has evaporated - a red film of oil will rise to the surface.

5. Add the asam gelugor, shredded turmeric leaf, kaffir lime leaves and kerisik. Mix well. Season with salt and sugar.

Edited May 27, 2004 by Shiewie (log)

[Pan]

Heaty food is OK, it's cooling food, like watermelon, black grass jelly drink, certain vegetables which are taboo.

Nope, it was the slope and the load which did me in.

Hmm...I seem to remember that for Malays, too much heaty food during pregnancy is a problem because it's considered to promote bleeding, though in general, a balance between heaty and cooling foods is desirable. Might be the reverse for Chinese. Or I might just have a false memory. I'll try to remember to ask my mother what the village midwife in Terengganu told her.

[tryska]

shiewie? quick question...does the kerisik get added in with the tamarind and lime leaves in your recipe too?

question about turmeric leaves - i'm fairly confident I can't find those here. is there a substitituion? what flavor do they impart?

[Shiewie]

tryska - yes add it in then! Oh dear, looks like I missed that part out - sorry was typing it close to 1am last night so guess my eyes had gone a bit wonky by then . Thanks for pointing it out - have edited the recipe above.

Turmeric leaf - not sure what could be used to substitute it. Think it would be best to omit it if it's not available. What do you think, kew?

Edited May 27, 2004 by Shiewie (log)

[Tepee]

]

Hmm...I seem to remember that for Malays, too much heaty food during pregnancy is a problem because it's considered to promote bleeding, though in general, a balance between heaty and cooling foods is desirable. Might be the reverse for Chinese.

You know, Pan, you're right. I was only looking at it from my perspective; I forgot about the differences. One difference which I discovered is coconut juice is OK for Malays to consume during a pregnancy, but for a chinese, that's a no-no. Hmm..there should be an impartial party researching into this.

[Pan]

I spoke with my mother this evening, and she told me that pregnant women in Terengganu could eat whatever they wanted to (aside from pantang [dietary restrictions] which they could choose whether follow to any degree they felt like, too), and that post-partum mothers were encouraged to eat heaty foods, so they apparently didn't feel that encouraged bleeding.

[JustKay]

Shiewie - IMHO, that recipe is a good one.

(except of course I'm being anal about using the food processor making keisik - too coarse a kerisik but hey! maybe some people like it?)

[JustKay]

Turmeric leaf - not sure what could be used to substitute it. Think it would be best to omit it if it's not available. What do you think, kew?

Yup, omit and add more kaffir lime leaves.

Or .... you could grow the tumeric. Heh heh ... no, seriously, tumeric grows easy and fast. The tumeric leaves imparts a very fragrant tumeric-y smell. LOL! Is that a way to describe anything at all

[tryska]

*lol* makese sense to me, since i know what turmeric smells like kew!

now here's another question....i'm intrigued by the season with salt and sugar part.

is rendang supposed to be on the sweetish side?

oh and shiewie - don't worry about not getting the recipe typed out correctly in the middle of the night - i still appreciate oyu posting it!

Edited May 27, 2004 by tryska (log)

[JustKay]

One difference which I discovered is coconut juice is OK for Malays to consume during a pregnancy, but for a chinese, that's a no-no.

We are encouraged to drink young coconut juice only towards the end of the pregnancy - from 8 months onwards. This is believed to help 'cleanse' the baby and makes baby not prone to skin diseases or cradle cap, etc ..... or at least this is what my Mom and MIL said.

[JustKay]

*lol*  makese sense to me, since i know what turmeric smells like kew!

now here's another question....i'm intrigued by the season with salt and sugar part.

is rendang supposed to be on the sweetish side?

oh and shiewie - don't worry about not getting the recipe typed out correctly in the middle of the night - i still appreciate oyu posting it!

No, definitely not sweetish. (Although people on the east coast, especially Kelantanese, will put sugar in everything - even curries!)

I only add sugar to balance out the heat. Not until you can taste the sugar. Eeew! Heh heh .... a little salty is okay because you're gonna eat it with something else.

I know I promised to post more recipes ... I found out I indeed have a LOT of them! It'll take some time to translate them.

But I do want to give you the one using dried spices first so you can choose which to make first.

Both Shiewie's and the one I posted makes 'reddish' and not darkish rendang.

edited to correct typos coz it's alost midnite here and i'm kinda sleepy.

Edited May 27, 2004 by kew (log)

[tryska]

y'all late night posters are dedicated.

[Chewme]

Not sure what which type of rendang are you guys referring to, but being from Indonesia (I might be biased), we always claimed that satay, rendang, gado gado, and rujak are originated in Indonesia.

I don't like to eat Malaysian rendang since the taste is not my cup of tea at all, I much prefer the original rendang from Indonesia. But then I again, I might be biased since I'm from Indonesia.

Even in Indonesia, there are so many type of rendang.

Although the super world famous Padang (West Sumatra, traditionally called Minangkabau) rendang is the one that's associated the most, in Padang itself there are many varieties of rendang, some are very thicked and concentrated, and the most common attributes is the heavy heavy spices used, and a good rendang has to be very chewy, tough to eat... the tougher it is the better it taste. It's thicked black and intense in flavor lasting for hours in your mouth upon chewing and spices, chillies, and other ingridients will give you an unforgettable breath for while. But this is what rendang is supposed to be.

When cooked, it has be cooked at least 1-2 days, I think my Mom cooked it for 4-5 days before and the flavor really comes out and the more you cook it the better it tastes, contrary to Western cookings where freshness is the key most of time.

The rendang in other areas of West Sumatra (province in Indonesia) are different too, other areas might use different parts of the beef, and sauce varies, sometimes red due to less coconut oil used and sometimes rather greenish from using the super hot green chillies.

The people in other parts of Sumatra island, however, develop their own ways and version of beef rendang as well. Again varies, and it's just matter of how much certain spices/ingridients are used or not used.

In Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, the beef rendang are very mild in nature, in comparison to the Padang version. The beef is more tender and less concentrated (with less coconut oil) and not as spicy since it caters to the Javanese and entire Indonesian population, which depending where they are from in the country don't eat as much spices, chillies or coconut oil as those Padangnese from West Sumatra province.

I tried some Padang restaurants in Singapore on a number of occasions there, and found none of them are even close to the original Beef Rendang in Padang, or some of the authentic Padang restaurants found in Jakarta. I tried some in Malaysia, although thicker and sometimes quite intense, it is a slightly different version than the Padang one.

I have also tried several other Malaysian version in LA, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Boston, and Chicago. In NYC, I probably try just about all Malaysian restaurants there are, from Penang, Jaya, Nyonya, Baba (now closed), Taste Good, Sentosa... etc etc... first of all, these restaurants are NOT even pure Malay owned, they are all Chinese owned and although the rendang are passable for New York, they are not even closed (although quite satisfying if you are longing for it) to the original one.

The beef rendang in Bali Nusa Indah is actually quite resemble to original Indonesian style rendang (Padang or Non-Padang) found in Indonesia, however, it is closer to the Jakarta (or Javanese) version which is not as tough... Well. I don't think Americans will like to chew on rubber (which is how it's supposed to be), obviously less less intense and not as spicy.

That's coming from someone who grew up eating the original rendang in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Edited May 27, 2004 by Chewme (log)

[tryska]

hi chewme! welcoem to the forums. do you have a recipe for indonesian style rendang?

[Pan]

Not sure what which type of rendang are you guys referring to, but being from Indonesia (I might be biased), we always claimed that satay, rendang, gado gado, and rujak are originated in Indonesia.

The only one I wouldn't have thought that of was rojak. The best satay I ever had was at a little hole-in-the-wall on the outskirts of Jakarta, in 1976. We asked the chef/owner what his secret was, and he smilingly led us to an enclosed yard where he had hung a bunch of goat meat tied in papaya skins. The original meat tenderizer.

When you said "tough" I was thinking of kerbau (water buffalo) meat, but you're talking about beef?

Fascinating about the several-days cooking. Makes sense, though: Many European stews also taste better the 2nd day (though they're usually reheated rather than cooked continuously).

Glad to have you here!

[Shiewie]

Welcome Chewme!

Please do post your Mom's Padang rendang recipe ... and any others you have too!

[JustKay]

tryska, here's a simple beef rendang recipe adapted from Carol Selvarajah's-The Asian Microwave cookbook.

1lb beef

6 shallots

3 cloves garlic

1" ginger

3 stalks lemongrass

1" galangal

1T coriander powder

2t cummin powder

1t fennel powder

1/2t black pepper

1" cinnamon

6 cloves

1t chilli powder

1 large onion

1 coconut - grated (use 3T to make kerisik)

Oil for frying1/2" palm sugar (or 1T brown sugar)

salt to taste

The instructions would be similiar to the other recipes.

[JustKay]

Not sure what which type of rendang are you guys referring to, but being from Indonesia (I might be biased), we always claimed that satay, rendang, gado gado, and rujak are originated in Indonesia.

I don't like to eat Malaysian rendang since the taste is not my cup of tea at all, I much prefer the original rendang from Indonesia. But then I again, I might be biased since I'm from Indonesia.

I am from Malaysia - so the rendang I mentioned are all Malaysian. The Minangkabau Rendang I posted the recipe is most probably an adapted version of the original Padang Rendang since most people from Negeri Sembilan are Minangkabau people from Indonesia.

I rememeber in the old days my grandma would use the cheapest cut of beef to make rendang, and also the 'older' chicken are used to make rendang because rendang is a dish that can be simmered for long periods of time. The better cuts of beef or the 'younger' chickens are used for other dishes. But nowadays, we use the best cut for rendang so that we don't have to cook it for days. Even my Mom used to take one whole day to make rendang, but now only a few hours of simmering will make the meat tender. However, we do like our rendang better the next day.

I love Indonesian food too. But I have only eaten them at the Indonesian Restaurants here, so maybe they are not authentic. But I sure like the thin crispy beef pieces - dendeng? The (lean) beef is thinly sliced and marinated then sun-dried and then fried. Yummy! I have tried to make to at home. Not too bad.

Edited May 28, 2004 by kew (log)