# Indonesian Beef Rendang

> Rendang isn't a curry — it's a curry that **turns into a fry**. The coconut milk evaporates, releases its oil, and the beef then browns in that oil until it's dark and almost dry. Stop while it's still saucy and it isn't rendang.

**Indonesian Cuisine · 205 min · 6 servings · 560 kcal per serving**

Rendang comes from West Sumatra and has topped global polls of the world's best dishes. It takes hours, but only about one of them is actual work — the rest is patience and stirring.

## Ingredients


### Beef
- 1 kg — beef (shin or chuck), in large cubes

### Spice paste
- 10 حبات — dried red chillies, soaked
- 8 cloves — garlic
- 2 حبات — onions
- 1 piece — ginger (5 cm)
- 1 piece — fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground)
- 3 stalks — lemongrass

### To cook
- 800 ml — coconut milk
- 4 ورقات — kaffir lime leaves (or bay leaves)
- 1 stick — cinnamon
- 3 حبات — cloves
- 1 tbsp — brown sugar
- 1.5 tsp — salt
- 3 tbsp — toasted desiccated coconut (optional)

## Method

1. **Spice paste** — Blend the chillies, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric and lemongrass to a smooth paste, adding a little water if needed.
2. **Fry the paste** — Fry the paste in a heavy pot over medium heat for **8 minutes** until it smells fragrant and darkens slightly.
3. **Beef and coconut milk** — Add the beef and turn it through the paste, then the coconut milk, lime leaves, cinnamon, cloves, sugar and salt. Bring to the boil.
4. **Stage one — the simmer** — Low heat, uncovered. Two hours, stirring every 20 minutes. The liquid reduces gradually and the beef tenderises.
5. **Stage two — the fry** — When the liquid thickens, the oil starts to separate. From here, **stir every 5 minutes** for 40-50 minutes until the beef is dark brown and the sauce clings to it.
6. **Finish** — Add the toasted coconut for the last 10 minutes if using, then taste and adjust the salt.
7. **Serve** — Serve with white rice. The flavour is considerably better on the second day.

## Tips

- Don't stop at the saucy curry stage — real rendang is nearly dry and deep brown.
- Constant stirring matters in the final stage: the oil has separated and the base catches within minutes.
- Full-fat coconut milk, not light — the fat is what fries the beef at the end.
- Rendang keeps a week refrigerated and months frozen; the long cooking preserves it.

## FAQ

### How is it different from a curry?
A curry is served in its sauce. Rendang is cooked until the sauce disappears entirely and the meat browns in the separated coconut oil, leaving it dry, dark and concentrated.

### Can I do it faster?
A pressure cooker shortens stage one (30 minutes instead of two hours), but the final frying stage must be done uncovered — and that stage is what makes the dish.

### Why is my beef tough?
Low-collagen cuts like fillet don't work here. Use shin or chuck — cuts that want long cooking.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/indonesian-cuisine/indonesian-beef-rendang
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-12