Beef rendang
Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Lauren Mclean
Beef rendang
Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
573Kcal
Fat
30gr
Saturates
16gr
Carbs
11gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
65gr
Salt
2.3gr
Sunil Vijayakar
London based cook and author Sunil has an impressive bibliography of recipe books, including titles from ice-lollies and healthy eating, to Indian, Italian and vegetarian cuisine.
See more of Sunil Vijayakar’s recipes
Sunil Vijayakar
London based cook and author Sunil has an impressive bibliography of recipe books, including titles from ice-lollies and healthy eating, to Indian, Italian and vegetarian cuisine.
See more of Sunil Vijayakar’s recipes
Ingredients
- 1 Taste the Difference British beef silverside slow roasting joint, weighing about 1.7kg, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 6-7cm cubes
- 1 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
- 8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 3 star anise
- 1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 cloves
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
- 1½ tbsp palm sugar (or soft brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
- 8-10 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or dried)
- 4 stalks of lemongrass
- juice of 2 limes
- a handful of chopped coriander, toasted desiccated coconut and red chilli slivers, to garnish
For the spice paste
- 2 echalion shallots, chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 20g root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 20g galangal, peeled and roughly chopped (or use 1 tbsp galangal paste from a 90g jar)
- 6 bird eye chillies, stalks removed
- 3 tbsp lemongrass paste from a 90g jar (or very finely chopped lemongrass)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Step by step
Get ahead
Marinate the beef a day ahead. You can cook the rendang the day before; it freezes well, too.
- Make the rendang spice paste by blending all the ingredients in a food processor or blender with 50ml water to a fairly smooth paste, adding a little more water if needed.
- Transfer the paste to a large bowl and add the beef, mixing well until the meat is coated. Cover and set aside to marinate for at least 6-8 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a heavy-based casserole over a medium-low heat. Add the cardamom pods, star anise, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cloves, ground cumin, ground coriander and the chilli powder and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Stir in the marinated beef and toss in the spiced oil. Crumble in the stock cube and add the coconut milk, sugar, tamarind paste, Thai fish sauce, lime leaves and lemongrass and bring to the boil.
- Cover and transfer to the preheated oven for 2½ hours (or transfer to a 3l slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low). Return to the hob and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly, or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning to taste.
- Serve garnished with chopped coriander, toasted coconut and red chilli slivers.
Chef quote
This warming curry is a Malaysian classic and bursting with aromatic flavours. Serve with freshly cooked rice.
