Beef Rendang

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef chuck, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 200 ml coconut cream
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 lemon grass stalks, bruised
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Salt
• Spice paste:
• 8 dried red chillies, soaked
• 6 shallots
• 5 garlic cloves
• 3 cm fresh ginger
• 3 cm fresh galangal
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric

Method

1. 1Blend all the paste ingredients to a smooth paste.
2. 2Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-based pot. Fry the paste for 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the beef and stir for 2 minutes.
3. 3Pour in the coconut milk and cream. Add lemon grass, lime leaves, cinnamon, star anise and sugar. Bring to a boil.
4. 4Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 2.5–3 hours. Stir every 20 minutes. The sauce should reduce and the meat should become dark and almost dry.
5. 5When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the toasted coconut and fry, stirring, for 10 minutes until the meat has a dark, caramelised crust.
6. 6Serve with jasmine rice and sliced cucumber.