There are many versions of Rendang out there and they all taste different. Rendang Tok is the drier version with added spices like cumin, coriander and fennel seeds to give it a different aroma. Toast and grind your own dry spices for better flavour. It is worth the effort!
” The Easy Version ”
Ingredients
Dry Spices
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- 2 tbsp. coriander seeds
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- 1 tbsp. fennel seeds
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- 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
Spice Paste
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- 15 shallots
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- 6 garlic
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- 3 inch galanggal
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- 3 inch ginger
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- 6 lemongrass
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- 6 tbsp. chilli paste
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- 1 inch fresh turmeric
Others
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- 1 cup oil
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- 1kg beef, cut into cubes
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- 500ml water
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- 250ml santan (coconut milk)
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- 50g gula melaka (palm sugar)
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- 80g kerisik (toasted coconut)
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- 2 asam keping
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- 2 pcs turmeric leaves, finely shredded
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- 1 tsp. salt
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- Optional :
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- 5 Bunga Lawang
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- 5 Buah Pelaga
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- 3 Bunga Cengkih
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- 2 Kayu Manis
Instructions
1. Toast dry spices in a pan and grind until fine. Sprinkle all over beef and marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Blend all ingredients for spice paste together until fine.
3. Heat up oil and fry spice paste (& add in optional items if you like) until it shrinks & oil splits (pecah minyak).
4. Add in beef and cook until all the beef juices dries up. Then add in water and simmer until beef is softer. Stir often when it is drying up to prevent burning.
5. Once the liquids dries up, add santan and gula melaka. Cook until it is halfway dried up.
6. Lastly, add in kerisik, asam keeping, turmeric leaves and season with salt to taste. Cook until Rendang is really really dry.
Notes
Use beef cuts like beef shin or any tough cuts. They yield better flavour. Use low and slow heat. Do not use high flames to speed things up. The spices need time to cook and merry up.