This is a long-cooked stew, with the beef simmered for 2 to 3 hours and coconut milk. Most of the liquid boils away, and you’re left with a thick, rich tasting, spice laden sauce, in which the meat is no longer boiling but frying. Eventually all the sauce is absorbed into the meat, which becomes moist, almost black, and very tender. In Malaysia, the meat is usually either beef or chicken, but the other ingredients differ from one state to the next. In some areas, tamarind water is added, and other spices like cinnamon, cumin, and cardamom are used. My own favorite recipe is that of my grandmother, and whose home in West Sumatra, I grew up. The recipe here is from Trengganu. It is almost the same as my grandmother’s, but with an additional ingredient that we don’t normally use in rendang, called kerisik.

Yield: serves 8 to 10.

Ingredients
3 lbs. 3 oz. boneless beef, preferably brisket or good stewing steak, cut into three-quarter inch cubes
. 2 quarts thick coconut milk, made from two coconuts.
Eight shallots or two onions, finely chopped
1/2 inch piece galangal
three kaffir lime leaves.
1 teaspoon salt
one stock lemongrass, cut in half crosswise
one turmeric leaf (optional)
1/4 cup kerisik

Paste
six garlic cloves, chopped
six large red chilies, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons chopped turmeric root or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Preparation instructions.
To make the paste, blend together the garlic, chilies, ginger, and turmeric in a blender or food processor until smooth.

But the beef into a large saucepan and add the coconut milk, shallots, galangal, line leaves, salt, lemongrass, and the paste. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir once, then leave to bubble gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

When the mixture is thick, continue cooking slowly, stirring constantly. Add the turmeric leaf (if using) and the kerisik. By now the meat will get Brown and very tender. Continue stirring for perhaps 20 more minutes.

Take out a piece of galangal and the leaves, and serve the rendang hot, with rice. In many parts of Malaysia, it is the custom to eat this Malaysian food recipe with compressed Rice.

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