Beef Rendang

Off the internet.

Malaysian home cooking with its unique mix of Indian and South East Asian influences.

It takes time to prepare and time to cook and the last few moments, as the sauce begins to split to release the coconut oil in which the meat fries to a perfect brown, are a little on the hairy side. But, hold your nerve and the end result is spectacularly worthwhile, with layers of flavour from the coconut milk, lime leaves, chilli and a last flavouring with fish sauce releasing on the tongue one after the other.

Note: I didn't have the* items and it still turned out good.

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PASTE:
1/4 c. Asian chili sauce
1 inch ginger
1 inch galangal*
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp turmeric (I used 1/2 t. curry powder)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp brown sugar

2lb stewing beef  (cut in 2in cubes) - I would cut smaller
2 tins coconut milk
1 tins worth of water
Stalk lemongrass*
Lime leaves*
1 bay leaf
2tbs fish sauce*
Juice of a lime - I used 1/4 c. lime juice

Whizz the paste ingredients with a little water to a smooth paste.

Add to a large pan or wok with the lime leaves, bashed lemongrass stalk, bay leaf and coconut milk.

Add the beef to this and let it bubble slowly for an hour and a half. (Make Chapatti dough – see below.)

Turn the heat up and cook until all the coconut milk has almost gone. This will take a while, maybe 45 mins to 1 hour, and it will look strange while it's doing it. Eventually it will start to colour and the oil will come out of the coconut milk completely.

The beef will fry in this oil and turn quite dark brown and rather flaky - then you're done

Turn off the heat and stir though the fish sauce and lime juice.

I served with chapatti and a salad of red onion, cucumber and tomato dressed with lime juice and zest.

Chapatti Recipe

Chapatti is a favorite bread throughout India.

2 cups flour, sifted (Whole Wheat is traditional)
Cold water
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon oil (for the mixture)

oil for frying

Put the flour in a bowl and add salt and oil and mix well. Slowly add the cold water and knead, making a soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 1-2 hours.

Divide the dough into 10 portions and roll each one into a round ball. Flour your working surface and roll each one into a round pancake about 5-6" in diameter. Shake off the excess flour and set aside until they are all done. You can also start cooking after the first one is done. Heat an iron frying pan or Tawa on medium heat. Oil the pan (don't put oil in the pan, but rather brush the pan with oil) and place the chapatti on the pan and cook for about a minute or bubbles start to appear and then turn over. The chapattis might puff up on their own or place over a gas flame for a few seconds. Place the chapattis between napkins until ready to be served. They are best served hot with a masala.