Currently in Jakarta, I reached out to my beautiful maternal grand aunt, Oma Chris, who had always been one of the most talented cooks I know, to teach me her ways. Her enthusiastic reply asking which dishes I wanted to learn got me excited. "Rendang, Ketupat, Ayam Rica-Rica..." she listed off. Only being self-taught through YouTube and cookbooks so far, I couldn't resist the chance to learn Oma Chris's version of Rendang, an age-old West Sumatran delicacy. Tenderloin beef (or for a vegan rendition, tender young jackfruit) is slowly stewed and reduced to a rich and aromatic caramelised dry curry. A beautifully laborious dish that takes endless ingredients and hours to create. Worth every minute if you ask me.
Her Rendang, in particular, was a family favourite that I can remember from as far back as my childhood in Singapore. Each visit back to Jakarta, we would pack our luggage to the brim with kilograms of Oma Chris's rendang to savour its flavours for months. Its reputation for a long shelf life even led sailors to carry it on their long journeys.
A total legend, Oma Chris arrived with a huge wok and all the necessary ingredients, impressively transported on a motorbike. She humorously mimics her posture as she sat on the bike with ingredients and cooking tools piled up. As she guided me through the cooking process, she shared anecdotes of her own experience, like how she would squat on the kitchen counter to alleviate the arm aches that come from standing and stirring rendang for hours on end.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family has for decades.
50g desiccated coconut
500g tenderloin beef or 2 cans of jackfruit
800ml coconut cream
1-inch turmeric root or 2 turmeric leaves
3 tablespoons neutral oil
1 lemon grass stalk, bruised and tied into a knot
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 pieces asam kandis or 2 pieces kokum or 2 tablespoon tamarind paste or
1 stick of cinnamon
3 star anise
Salt and black pepper to taste
Bumbu (spice paste)
125g shallots
4 cloves garlic
2 large red chilies
3-5 birds eye chilies 15 gr fresh ginger
15g galangal
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Spread the desiccated coconut on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 to 12 minutes or until brown. Stir every few minutes to ensure even browning. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. In a spice grinder or food processor, blend the toasted desiccated coconut until it forms a smooth paste and the oil separates. Set aside.
In a food processor, blend all the spice paste ingredients until smooth. Heat oil in a large pan or wok and sauté the spice paste for 5-7 minutes, stirring consistently. If using beef, add the beef. If using jackfruit, add the jackfruit later on/towards the end of the cooking process.
Add the coconut cream, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind paste, cinnamon, and star anise to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring consistently, until the mixture is caramelized, brown, and dry. This process can take about 2 to 3 hours.
Season with salt and black pepper. If using jackfruit, add it to the pan and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Finally, add the blended toasted desiccated coconut paste and mix thoroughly. Serve the rendang with steaming hot rice, or as part of a larger spread.
Notes
For the heads - authenticity boost comes from the use of turmeric leaves (not roots) and Asam Kandis (not tamarind). I’ve not been able to find turmeric leaves in the UK and grow my own, so use turmeric root as a substitute. As for asam kandis, kokum is the closest substitute which you’ll be able to find in South Asian grocery stories. Otherwise, tamarind will do fine too.