Beef Rendang

In the picture above, the beef (covered in spice paste) has been added to the wok along with the coconut, coconut milk, lemon grass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. This is before the slow cooking and "tempering" process.

This is a very beautiful beef recipe from the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

1 kg (2 lbs) beef topside
4 tablespoons grated fresh coconut or steamed dessicated coconut, roasted in a dry pan until golden brown, then ground finely
3 cups coconut milk (2 cups thick mixed with 1 cup thin)
2 stalks lemon grass, cut into several pieces and bruised
3 cm piece galangal, bruised (optional)
2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
salt to taste

Paste spices
1 tsp coriander seed, roasted in dry pan and ground finely
2-3 tsp of chilli flakes (more if you like it very hot)
3 cm piece green ginger, finely chopped
3 cm piece fresh turmeric, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
10 shallots, sliced

Grind all the paste ingredients together, adding a little water if the mixture is dry.  Cut the meat into 5 cm cubes, mix with spice paste and leave aside.

Combine the spiced beef and the coconut with the coconut milk in a wok.  Add lemon grass, galangal if using it,lime leaves and salt.  Bring to the boil, stirring all the time.  Cook without a lid until the gravy is almost dry.

Turn the heat down low and cook until the oil comes out of what is left of the gravy.  Stirring constantly, let the meat and its spices fry in the oil until the dish is really dry and the meat has turned dark brown but is not burnt.  This last "tempering" process is the crucial one for beef rendang - the whole dish depends on the care with which this is done.

This recipe has been adapted from the recipe for Beef Rendang in South East Asian Food by Rosemary Brissenden.

Sambal Terasi

There a lot of chillies in this dish, but don't be put off.  Those large red chillies you buy in the supermarket or at the grocer's are fairly mild.  You don't even need to deseed them, and the lime juice will soften the heat anyway. Blachan and shrimp paste can be purchased from an Asian supermarket or grocery store.


12 large red and green chillies
2.5 x 2.5 cm slice blachan or 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste or more if desired, roasted in foil and then crumbled
pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice

In a food processor grind everything to a paste.  Moisten with lime juice. Place on a small serving dish with a spoon to serve and put on the table with rice and main dishes.

Chilli Ginger Sambal

This is an Indonesian sambal, delicious with most South East Asian dishes. There are a lot of chillies in this recipe, but don't be put off.  Those fat red chillies you buy in the supermarket or at the grocer's (or grow in your garden like I do), are mild.  You don't even need to deseed them. And the vinegar (or lime juice) dampens the heat further anyway.

3 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
10 fresh large red chillies, or to taste
a good dash of white vinegar or lime juice
chicken stock to moisten

In a mortar or a food processor, grind the ginger and chillies into a rough paste.  Add a little lime juice or vinegar and salt to taste, and moisten with chicken stock.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 thin slices laos, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh chilli, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon blachan shrimp paste
1 cup cooked meat, finely sliced
1/2 cup cashew nuts
3 to 4 cups cooked rice
spring onions or fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Heat the oil. Add onions, garlic, fresh chilli and laos, and gently fry until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add coriander, cumin and blachan and stir for about one minute.
Add nuts and cooked meat.
Add the cooked rice, and gently heat.
Serve garnished with spring onions or fresh coriander leaves.

Note: laos, a spice much like fresh ginger, can be found in oriental shops or some vegetable shops. If you cannot obtain it, you may leave it out.