Slow-Cooked Beef Rendang

A proper West Sumatran-style rendang, where beef braises gently in coconut milk and a fresh aromatic paste until the sauce reduces to a thick, caramelised coating. It's rich, complex and warming rather than fiery. The long, patient cook is what turns everyday braising steak into something unforgettable.

Rendang isn’t a quick curry and it shouldn’t be. The magic happens over a couple of hours, as coconut milk splits into fragrant oil and the spice paste toasts around the beef, building layers of flavour you simply can’t rush. The result is dark, glossy and tender, with barely any sauce left clinging to each piece.

Ingredients

• 800g beef braising steak or chuck — cut into 4cm chunks
• 400ml full-fat coconut milk
• 6 shallots — peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 cloves garlic — peeled
• 4cm piece fresh ginger — peeled
• 4cm piece galangal — or extra ginger if unavailable
• 3 lemongrass stalks — bruised; inner core of 1 finely chopped
• 4 dried red chillies — soaked, or 2 tsp chilli flakes for less heat
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 4 kaffir lime leaves — or 1 tbsp lime zest
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut — toasted (kerisik)
• 1 tsp salt — plus more to taste

Method

1. Blitz the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, chopped lemongrass core, soaked chillies, ground coriander and turmeric to a smooth paste in a food processor, adding a splash of water if needed to get it moving.
2. Warm a splash of oil in a heavy-based pan or casserole over medium heat. Add the paste and fry gently for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens a shade and smells deeply fragrant with no raw onion sharpness.
3. Add the beef and turn to coat in the paste. Tip in the coconut milk, bruised lemongrass stalks, lime leaves and cinnamon. Stir in enough water to just cover the beef and bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, then grind or crush to a coarse paste (kerisik) and stir it into the pan.
5. Simmer uncovered on a low heat for around 2 hours, stirring more often as it thickens, until the liquid has almost gone and the coconut oil begins to separate out and darken the sauce.
6. Keep cooking and stirring for a final 15-20 minutes, letting the beef fry in its own spiced oil until the sauce is thick, dark brown and clinging to each piece, and the beef is meltingly tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
7. Check the beef is cooked through with no pink at the centre, then taste and adjust the salt. Fish out the cinnamon and lemongrass stalks before serving.
8. Rest for 5 minutes off the heat, then serve piping hot with steamed rice.

Serve it with

• Steamed jasmine or basmati rice
• Coconut nasi lemak rice
• Cucumber and shallot sambal
• Stir-fried pak choi or green beans
• Fried shallots for scattering
• Prawn crackers

Why this works

The slow reduction does double duty: it tenderises tough braising cuts while the coconut milk splits into oil, gently frying the beef and spice paste to build that signature dark, caramelised depth. Toasted coconut (kerisik) adds nuttiness and body.

Common swaps

• Use lamb shoulder or diced beef shin in place of braising steak
• Swap galangal for extra fresh ginger if you can't find it
• Replace kaffir lime leaves with fresh lime zest
• Use 2 tsp mild chilli flakes instead of dried chillies for a gentler heat
• Bone-in chicken thighs work well with a shorter 45-minute cook

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the cook over high heat, which stews the beef instead of letting the sauce reduce and caramelise
• Not frying the spice paste long enough, leaving a raw, harsh taste
• Using light or reduced-fat coconut milk, which won't split into that essential fragrant oil
• Walking away near the end when it catches and burns quickly as the liquid disappears

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool quickly and keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; the flavour deepens beautifully overnight.

Freezing: Freezes very well for up to 3 months. Cool fully, portion into airtight containers and freeze; defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water until piping hot throughout, stirring so it doesn't catch.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.