Beef Rendang

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Asian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 6 hours

Beef Rendang is a beef curry that originated from Indonesia and has been widely popularized across southeast Asia. It’s so damn good that it’s considered one of Indonesia’s national dishes! It’s a beef curry that is cooked down over a few hours until it is super tender and the rest of the curry sauce simmers down to an aromatic paste that coats the beef.

I absolutely love the complex flavours of a good beef rendang, however it is very time consuming to make so I recommend either making it the night before or very early morning. Set aside 4-5 hours for this dish. The prep time only takes about 15-20 mins but the time it takes for the beef to tenderize can be up to 3-4 hours. Don’t rush the process. Trust me, it’s worth the wait! The flavours actually taste better the next day once all the spices marinate a bit more, so if you’re serving this for a special occasion, I’d recommend making it the day before – which spares up free time for you for other preparations.

Although there are quite a lot of spices and ingredients in this recipe, the actual process of making it isn’t difficult at all. The amazing results were worth me doubling my spice rack. I picked up most of the ingredients from the local asian supermarket, where I find the spices much cheaper than regular grocery stores.

This version of a beef rendang is adapted from Sarah Tiong’s cookbook Sweet, Savoury, Spicy. I used to make my rendang a much different way that was way more time-consuming, but since stumbling upon her recipe, it has been much easier with fewer steps, spices, and the flavours are just as good! Definitely recommend checking out her book for more awesome recipes.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Paste:
- 4 large red Asian shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4cm piece of fresh ginger (or galangal), peeled and sliced
- 3 stalks of lemon grass (white parts only), finely sliced – you’ll need another 3 later on = 6 total
- 2 Tbsp of a neutral oil
1/2 cup neutral oil (ie. canola, vegetable…etc.)
650g (~1.5lbs) chuck steak cut into cubes
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Rendang Spices:
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 6 cardamom pods
- 8 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or dried), stems removed and thinly sliced
- 3 stalks of lemongrass, bruised/lightly pounded
1 tsp hot chili powder (optional)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup (240ml) water
1 cup (240ml) full fat coconut cream
1.5 tsp salt
1 cup desiccated coconut, toasted
Serve with steamed rice or flatbread – or both! Also goes well with sambal.

Directions:

Make the paste by blending together: shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and oil. Blend until a thick paste forms. Set aside.

In a wok, heat the 1/2 cup oil on medium-high heat. While the oil is warming up, dust the beef cubes in the flour. When the oil starts to smoke, sear the beef cubes in batches (careful not to overcrowd the pot – you may need to do this in two batches) until you get a dark brown crust on both sides). Set aside the beef.

Use the remaining oil in the pot to stir-fry the paste (made in step 1) for 5 mins until caramelized and aromatic.

Add the spices to the pot: cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Then add in the chilli powder, brown sugar and seared beef cubes. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes.

Add the water, coconut cream and salt to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and bring it to the simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 15mins.

(Toast the desiccated coconut in this time if you haven’t already.)

After 15mins, add the toasted coconut and stir thoroughly. If everything seems too dry at this time, add 1/4 cup of water at a time and mix. Cover the pot again and reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 2 hours or more until the beef is “fork-tender” and easy to break down and the liquid has been absorbed. You’ll notice that the curry is a pale brown colour for most of the cook, but once the majority of the sauce cooks down, the oils separate and it becomes a reddish-brown colour. Serve with rice and a good sambal or chilli paste.

Tip: Flavours taste even better the next day!

Summarized Recipe:

Beef Rendang

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Asian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

Paste:
- 4 large red Asian shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4cm piece of fresh ginger (or galangal), peeled and sliced
- 3 stalks of lemon grass (white parts only), finely sliced – you’ll need another 3 later on = 6 total
- 2 Tbsp of a neutral oil
1/2 cup neutral oil (ie. canola, vegetable…etc.)
650g (~1.5lbs) chuck steak cut into cubes
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Rendang Spices:
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 6 cardamom pods
- 8 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or dried), stems removed and thinly sliced
- 3 stalks of lemongrass, bruised/lightly pounded
1 tsp hot chili powder (optional)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup (240ml) water
1 cup (240ml) full fat coconut cream
1.5 tsp salt
1 cup desiccated coconut, toasted
Serve with steamed rice or flatbread – or both! Also goes well with sambal.

Directions:

Make the paste by blending together: shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and oil. Blend until a thick paste forms. Set aside.
In a wok, heat the 1/2 cup oil on medium-high heat. While the oil is warming up, dust the beef cubes in the flour. When the oil starts to smoke, sear the beef cubes in batches (careful not to overcrowd the pot – you may need to do this in two batches) until you get a dark brown crust on both sides). Set aside the beef.
Use the remaining oil in the pot to stir-fry the paste (made in step 1) for 5 mins until caramelized and aromatic.
Add the spices to the pot: cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes.
Add in the chilli powder, brown sugar and seared beef cubes. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes.
Add the water, coconut cream and salt to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and bring it to the simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 15mins.
(Toast the desiccated coconut in this time if you haven’t already.)
After 15mins, add the toasted coconut and stir thoroughly. If everything seems too dry at this time, add 1/4 cup of water at a time and mix. Cover the pot again and reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 2 hours or more until the beef is “fork-tender” and easy to break down and the liquid has been absorbed. You’ll notice that the curry is a pale brown colour for most of the cook, but once the majority of the sauce cooks down, the oils separate and it becomes a reddish-brown colour. Serve with rice and a good sambal or chilli paste.
- Tip: Flavours taste even better the next day!

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Easy Beef Curry Puffs

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: appetizers, snacks, easy, pastry
Serves: 14 curry puffs | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

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Who doesn’t love a good curry puff??? This super quick and easy version is adapted from Sarah Tiong’s (my favourite Masterchef contestant) recipe. All you need are a few basic ingredients, 10 mins to stir-fry, then wrap it up and bake. Easy!

You can use either thawed pre-made puff pastry dough or make your own rough puff dough.

This recipe is meant to be a quick and easy version of a curry puff. Feel free to add in your own veg or extra seasonings to your liking. Sometimes I like to toss in some cooked diced potatoes and peas with the beef to bulk it up.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 small brown onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
2 Tbsps curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins). Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.

Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.

When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.

Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).

Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.

Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Beef Curry Puffs

Ingredients:

1 small brown onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
2 Tbsps curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins).
Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.
Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.
When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.
Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).
- Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.
Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Smoked Salmon Spread

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15 mins, appetizers, on the go, quick, dips, snacks
Serves: 1 large bowl or 6 bagel spreads | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 2 mins

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This is one of my all time favourite dips. I’m surprised it has taken me this long to write it up! A good cream cheese bagel has always been one of my weaknesses. When I did a vet student placement in New York years ago, there was a bagel cart parked outside of the American Medical Centre. Every morning I’d get an ‘everything bagel with cream cheese’ and it was always the best part of my morning because he loaded it with so much cream cheese 😛. One day I walked up to the cart and before I even spoke, he already started apologizing that he had sold out of the ‘everything bagel’. Although I was disappointed, I was more surprised that he actually remembered me and it was nice the have a bagel guy that knows my “usual”. (Don’t worry guys, I got a plain bagel instead, and it had just as much cream cheese 😜). Aaaaanyways, I digress. The point of that story is that I really fucking love bagels and cream cheese – but what’s even better? Smoked salmon and cream cheese! You’ll commonly find “lox” on the menu of a bagel shop in New York (lox and cold smoked salmon are often used interchangeably, although lox isn’t always smoked). It’s usually served on a toasted bagel with cream cheese, capers, dill, and red onion. Mmmmmmmmm. This recipe is essentially all of those ingredients blended together to make a quick and easy salmon spread.

This dip is perfect to serve as a dip at a party served with some fancy crackers, or as a quick and easy snack or breakfast spread over a warm toasted bagel.

What type of salmon?

I prefer to use cold-smoked salmon for this recipe (the fancy pieces of sliced pink heaven). I usually buy them in big packages from Costco so it’s a little cheaper and it’s also a great way to use up the remainder of the smoked salmon before it goes off. Blending it with the cream cheese and other ingredients preserves it a little longer. It also gives you a break from eating straight up smoked salmon because you bought too much from Costco because it was so cheap… You can also use smoked trout which is a little cheaper and to me, they taste very similar.

You can also used canned smoked salmon instead which will make this recipe even cheaper to make, however the canned version will have a more robust fishy taste so you’ll either have to use less of it in this recipe or increase the rest of the ingredients. It also won’t have the pretty pink colour so your dip won’t have the blush pink colour, but flavour wise is similar.

Happy cooking!

Recipe originally adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/233564/the-best-smoked-salmon-spread/

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 package (8oz/226g) cream cheese, softened
150g smoked salmon (cold smoked sliced or canned*)
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsps fresh dill, (leaves only, no stem)
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce (ie Tabasco) OR 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsps green onion, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy/smooth.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best overnight before serving. Enjoy!

Serve spread on a toasted bagel or as a dip with crackers.

Notes:

Halve the recipe if you’re making it for yourself for breakfast. It’s a large portion and you’ll end up eating it for a week trying to finish it before it goes off. Speaking from my own experience 😜.
*If you’re using canned smoked salmon, the fish flavour will be more robust and you may have to use a little less of it or increase the other ingredients to adjust.

Summarized Recipe:

Smoked Salmon Spread

Ingredients:

1 package (8oz/226g) cream cheese, softened
150g smoked salmon (cold smoked sliced or canned*)
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsps fresh dill, (leaves only, no stem)
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce (ie Tabasco) OR 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsps green onion, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy/smooth.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best overnight before serving. Enjoy!
- Serve spread on a toasted bagel or as a dip with crackers.

Notes:

Halve the recipe if you’re making it for yourself for breakfast. It’s a large portion and you’ll end up eating it for a week trying to finish it before it goes off. Speaking from my own experience 😜.
*If you’re using canned smoked salmon, the fish flavour will be more robust and you may have to use a little less of it or increase the other ingredients to adjust.

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment