I have a confession.

Previously, all my beef rendang dishes were cooked using the easy mix!

Ooops.

Reason being is that i got intimidated by the long list of ingredients and the complexity of it. And for instructions, well, it does sound rather complicated and tons of hard work are required in just preparing!

Alas, after cooking it using pre-mix thrice (yup, i’ve only cooked this particular dish that many times!) … i gave up. The taste was not up to standard. Something was always missing even though i experimented it with 3 different pre-mix brands. Then i realized that it gotta be cooked from scratch or nothing.

So nothing it was for quite sometime actually… until now.

Not too long ago when i saw this recipe in one of my trusted food magazines, i wasted no time and plunged into cooking this well-loved dish almost that very week itself.

Man…. you can never imagine my face expression when i took my first bite of that melt-in-the-mouth beef. Haha!

Of course, the superbly tender and gelatinous beef would be nothing if not for the right spices used. Uh huh, I finally nailed it! The rendang tasted exactly how i wanted and imagined it to be! *happy dance!*

That night, i gave up on being a pescetarian.

The next night, i again, gave up on being a pescetarian. :P

Yup yup yup. The rendang totally hit the bull’s eye. So accurately on the particular spot that i actually gave up on being a pescetarian for 2 nights in a row. I know… shame on me! >.<

Beef Rendang

(from famous cuisine no.64)

A -
1kg beef  (cut into pieces)
200g grated coconut
200ml thick coconut milk
600ml water

B -
20g dried chillies (soak till soft)
2 stems lemon grass
5 shallots
5 garlic cloves
3cm fresh tumeric
3cm fresh galangal
3 candlenuts
2cm fresh ginger
5tbsp cooking oil

C -
4 stalks curry leaves
6 blades kaffir lime leaves
3tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1tsp sugar

Method
1. to make ‘kerisik’, stir-fry the grated coconut in the hot wok without oil over medium-high heat until aromatic and golden in color.
2. blend all ingredients (B) in the blender until finely paste and smooth. dish out.
3. heat up wok, add in blended ingredients (B), stir fry over medium high heat until fragrant. add in ingredients (C), stirring constantly for at least 5-10 minutes.
4. add beef, toss until the beef color changes. pour in water, bring to boil. simmer over low heat for an hour or so intil beef pieces are cooked and tender.
5. add in coconut milk and ‘kerisik’, stir fry until well combined and the gravy is absorbed and color of the curry deepens.

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Submitting this to Muhibbah Monday!