Recipe-1 › Curries of the world › Beef rendang
A dry, dark, slow-cooked beef curry from the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, also loved in Malaysia and Singapore. The beef is cooked in coconut milk and a spice paste for hours until the liquid is gone and the paste caramelises.
Same steps, different flavour base MediumToo hot for you? Use half the chilli (powder, paste or fresh chillies) and leave out the green chillies.
Recipe-1 is one simple curry recipe in nine steps: fry onions and green chillies, add your vegetables or meat, add chilli powder and turmeric, then water and salt, and boil. With small changes the same nine steps make curries from all over the world.
This page takes those nine steps and shows what to change to make Beef rendang. You don’t need to read anything else first: every base step is written out below. The changes are worked out on paper from what is typical for this dish; not yet kitchen-tested. Cooked it? Tell others how it went.
Green: the base recipe step (crossed out = do not use it for this dish)Red: what to do instead for Beef rendang
See the full base recipe (with timers and tips) · See all curries on the world map
The amounts change with the number of people; cooking times stay about the same (use a bigger pot for more). Taste as you go: you can always add more chilli or salt, but you cannot take it out.
Main ingredient: 1 kg Stewing beef in large cubes.
Where a step has a red line, do the red line and not the crossed-out green base step. Steps with only green are done just as in the base recipe.
Base step: do not useCut onions and chillies.
Beef rendang: do thisInstead of chopping, blend shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric and red chillies into a paste.
Base step: do not useFry in some oil for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
Beef rendang: do thisFry the paste in oil with bruised lemongrass for 5–8 minutes until fragrant.
Base step: do not useCut the vegetable(s) of your choice.
Beef rendang: do thisUse the beef.
Base step: do not useAdd them and fry for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
Beef rendang: do thisAdd the beef and stir to coat it in the paste.
Base step: do not useAdd red chilli powder and turmeric.
Beef rendang: do thisSkip the chilli powder. Add cinnamon and cloves (step B) if you like; many cooks do.
Keep frying until just before they start browning.
Base step: do not useAdd some water.
Beef rendang: do thisAdd coconut milk instead of water, with the lime leaves.
Base step: do not useAdd salt.
Beef rendang: do thisAdd salt and a little tamarind.
Base step: do not useBoil until the gravy is as thick as you like.
Beef rendang: do thisSimmer uncovered, stirring now and then, for 2–3 hours until the liquid is gone. Add the kerisik and keep stirring until the beef turns dark brown.
Serve: With rice.
For meat and seafood, make sure it is cooked through: chicken until no pink remains inside; mutton, goat and beef need long, slow cooking.
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