One of the most popular traditional Malaysian dish - the beef rendang. Every country in South East Asia have their own version but essentially, all require a good aromatic chilli paste, coconut butter (kerisik), and coconut cream (or coconut milk). Extremely rich, aromatic, and flavourful - beef rendang is the ultimate dish you need to try in order to fully understand the wonders of Malaysian cuisine.
Marinate beef with a full jar of Mak Tok’s Rendang Chilli Paste with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes.
Add water, potatoes, and marinated beef into a slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low. Your tasty rendang is now “ultimating” so be patient although the smell can be heavenly. *Note: ultimating is not really a word so save your time Googling this*
Toast desiccated coconut in a pan on low heat until golden brown. Bonus step: Prepare your “kerisik” by pounding and grinding the toasted desiccated coconut continuously in a pestle and mortar for 5 minutes. This will bring out the natural oil and aroma of the coconut.
Pour the coconut cream and add the toasted desiccated coconut (or even better, kerisik) into the rendang. Season with salt, mix well and allow the rendang to gently reduce in the slow cooker without the lid for 10 minutes. This step is also a good way to signal you and your loved ones that it’s time to have the best curry night in.
Add a squeeze of lime and serve with a bowl of warm Jasmine rice.
Recipe Note
Top tips:
Remember to keep an eye on the rendang every 1.5 hours as you don’t want to burn it. If it’s becoming overly dry (sauce starting to stick at the bottom of the pot), then add 50ml of water at a time.
Choose briskets that have a bit more fat to it as this will give your rendang that WOW factor!
