This legendary Southeast Asian dish features tender meat enveloped in a rich, aromatic coconut sauce infused with spices that have simmered together for hours. The complex blend of chilies, garlic, galangal, and lemongrass creates an irresistibly fragrant and deeply flavorful curry that's both creamy and intensely spiced. Perfect for special occasions, Rendang is a show-stopping dish that rewards patience with incredible depth and authenticity.
⏱️150 min
📊Medium
👥6 servings
🍽️Main
meatspicyfestivefamily
Ingredients
1000 gbeef chuck or brisket, cut into 2-inch cubes
800 mlcoconut milk, full fat
8 piecesred chilies, deseeded
6 piecesgarlic cloves
5 piecesshallots, roughly chopped
4 cmfresh galangal, peeled and sliced
3 pieceslemongrass stalks, white part only, sliced
1 tspturmeric powder
1.5 tspsalt
1 tbsppalm sugar or brown sugar
3 tbspvegetable oil
Instructions
1PREPARE THE SPICE PASTE: Combine the red chilies, garlic cloves, shallots, galangal, lemongrass, and turmeric powder in a food processor or blender with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Blend until you achieve a smooth, fine paste with no visible chunks remaining, about 2-3 minutes. This paste is the foundation of your Rendang, so take time to ensure it's completely smooth and well-combined, which will help distribute flavors evenly throughout the dish.
2HEAT THE OIL AND COOK THE PASTE: Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the spice paste and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. The paste should become fragrant and darken slightly in color; you'll notice the raw edge disappearing and the oil beginning to separate at the edges of the paste. This crucial step removes the raw taste from the spices and develops their complex flavors through caramelization.
3ADD THE BEEF AND BROWN: Add the cubed beef to the pot and stir well to coat each piece thoroughly with the spice paste. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat develops a light brown crust on the outside while remaining raw inside. The browning creates deeper flavors through the Maillard reaction, though you don't need to fully cook the meat at this stage since it will simmer for hours.
4ADD COCONUT MILK AND BRING TO SIMMER: Pour the entire can of coconut milk into the pot, add salt and palm sugar, and stir thoroughly to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to medium-low, maintaining only a gentle bubble on the surface. The mixture should be warm and steaming but never at a rolling boil, which can cause the coconut milk to separate and the meat to become tough rather than tender.
5SIMMER FOR EXTENDED TIME: Allow the Rendang to simmer uncovered for 90-120 minutes, stirring occasionally (every 15-20 minutes) to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking. You'll notice the liquid gradually reducing and thickening as the coconut milk is absorbed into the meat and the sauce becomes increasingly concentrated and glossy. The beef should become so tender it nearly falls apart with a gentle press, and the sauce should reduce to about half its original volume, coating the meat in a rich, thick layer.
6CHECK DONENESS AND ADJUST SEASONING: After 90 minutes, test the meat by piercing it with a fork—it should shred easily without resistance. If the sauce is still too thin and watery, continue simmering for another 15-20 minutes until it reaches a creamy, clingy consistency that clings to each piece of meat. Taste the Rendang and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed, remembering that the flavors will intensify slightly as it cools. The finished dish should be deeply aromatic, with tender meat suspended in a rich, spiced coconut sauce that's neither soupy nor completely dry.