Rendang sapi is the Indonesian name for beef rendang. This is one dish I like very much and I’ve always thought it’s very difficult to make. Surprisingly (or maybe not), my first attempt turned out much better than expected – in fact, better than a lot of beef rendang I’ve had at most of the Malay food stalls that I’be patronised.

This picture is for demo purpose only. You can see all the ingredients I’ve used here. You’re supposed to fry the beef cubes in tumeric powder until the tumeric gives off a nice fragrance. Then you add your rendang paste and continue frying.

Finally, pour in the coconut milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Once everything is boiling nicely, bring it down to a simmer.

The mixture will thicken and the oil separates out after about 1 hour’s slow cooking. I’d add in my lime leaves at this juncture. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes or so. The sauce will thicken into a very familiar rendang appearance.

And here is the final product. The beef should come off in nice, soft strands – very flavourful. Most rendang sold outside have no limes leaves or tumeric added.

Rendang sapi goes very well with naan. My kids loved it. Go try it out yourself.

© Chan Joon Yee

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