How to cook Rendang Padang

This is the recipe for Rendang Padang if you want the glorious taste without that overly-rich oil feel that makes you weep with guilt after. - Recipe taken from The New Paper (Sunday) 20th April 2012. Original recipe is from Madam Tumiar Simandijuntak, 78 from Medan, Sumatra.

Recipe for Rendang Padang:
Ingredients:

• 1 kg of Beef, cut into 4cm-thick slices
• 10 dried chillies
• 4 red chillies
• 10 shallots
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 5 cm-thick piece lengkuas (galangal)
• 5 cm-thick piece old ginger
• 4 stalks of lemongrass (use only 7cm of the root part)
• 4-5 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 daun kunyit (tumeric leaf)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 coconuts (only grated white portions)
• 2 slices of assam keping (sour fruit)
• 1 tbsp of tamarind mixed with 2 tbsp of water. Strain and reserve.
• 250ml of water
• 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil

Method:

1. Soak the dried chillies for 20 mins. or until soft. Rinse chillies and set aside.
2. Put half of the grated coconut in a muslin cloth and pour in the 250ml of water. Squeeze to extract the coconut milk. Refrigerate.
3. Heat the wok or a non-stick frying pan. Fry the remaining grated coconut over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning. Do not use oil. It should take around 30 mins. to get the grated coconut to brown.
4. Allow to cool, then blend till fine. Set aside 3 tbsp for use later. Store the remainder in a glass jar and refrigerate.
5. Grind the dried chillies, red chillies, shallots, garlic, lengkuas, old ginger and lemongrass together to make the rempah. Use a little water to help the process if you are using a blender.
6. Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a pot over a small fire. Add the rempah and fry until it browns and give off a strong aroma.
7. Add daun kunyit and lime leaves.
8. Add beef and fry until the beef is coated with rempah.
9. Add the coconut milk and 1 tsp of salt or more to suit your taste, and the ground coriander.
10. Next the assam keping and tamarind juice. Cover and allow to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for two hours until the beef is tender.
11. Add in 3 tbsp of the toasted grated coconut and stir thoroughly.
12. Serve with hot rice.

Credit: Hedy Khoo - hedykhoo AT sph DOT com DOT sg 
Photo Credit - Camemberu

Malay Wedding Menu & Recipes - Beef or Lamb Masala

Beef and Lamb Masala Recipe. Secret recipe from the old-time Chefs of Malay wedding specialty.

Masala Recipe Recipe #1

• 2 lb. lamb or beef stew meat
• 3 tbsp. pureed ginger (no need to peel ginger)
• 1 qt. masala sauce (see below)

Place 2 pounds stew meat into Dutch oven. Add 3 tablespoons grated ginger and the masala sauce. Mix together and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Check occasionally and add a little water to keep meat moist. Garnish (sprinkle) top with chopped coriander (cilantro).

Masala Sauce:

• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 lg. yellow onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. garlic, chopped fine
• 1/2 pt. plain yogurt
• 1/2 tbsp. Garam Masala
• 1/2 tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tbsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tbsp. red chili powder (or cayenne)
• 1 tsp. turmeric

Heat oil in saucepan. Add onion and cook until dark brown, not burned. Add garlic.

In food processor, blend tomatoes and yogurt together. Combine spices. Add to onion mixture and cook 2 minutes, then add tomatoes and yogurt and stir. Puree all ingredients in food processor. Salt to taste. Makes 1 quart.

Masala Recipe Recipe #2

Ingredients:

• 3 bay leaves
• 1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
• 5 cardamom pods
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 2 pounds beef tenderloin, cubed
• 3 cups chopped onion, divided
• 5 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise
• 1 (1 1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, grated
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• 4 fresh curry leaves
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

To make the masala powder: Grind the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds and peppercorns in a spice grinder until mixture is a fine powder.

Place the beef cubes, masala powder, 2 cups chopped onion, green chiles, grated fresh ginger, garlic and turmeric in a large, heavy pot. Add water to cover (about 1 cup) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until beef is cooked through. Add salt. Stir and continue to simmer about 10 minutes or until mixture is almost dry, but do not allow it to burn (add a bit more water, if necessary). Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Immediately add remaining 1 cup chopped onion and stir over medium heat until onions soften and begin to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add curry leaves and cook until brown, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the beef mixture, black pepper, and lemon juice. Cook until nicely browned and heated through, about 8 minutes.

Malay Wedding Menu & Recipes - Beef, Mutton Briyani

Beef, Mutton Briyani (Recepi Daging Briani). This special briani dish requires cooking skill, which is normaly served during special occasion eg. Ramadhan, religious feast or Weddings with nasi minyak, tomato rice or briani rice. Popular side dishes include acar timun, pacri nenas and acar buahan.

Ingredients: (8 - 10 Pax)

•  1kg beef or mutton cube
• 2 big red onions (sliced)
• A mixture of shallots+ginger+garlic (blended)
• 2 huge tomatoes (cut into 4 each)
• 6-8 green chillies (cut it to 4-5 pieces each)
• 4 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp oil
• rempah tumis (2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamoms)
• 3 full tbsp of rempah baryani (briyani powder)
• salt to taste
• ajinomoto (optional)
• 1/2 tbspn sugar
• some coriander and mint leaves (washed & chopped)
• 1 tbsp yogurt

Garnishing:

• fried onions
• fried cashew nuts
• raisins
• coriander leaves

Method:

1. Marinate the meat with yogurt.
2. Pour Ghee and oil into heated pot.
3. Add the rempah tumis and sliced onions till golden brown.
4. Add in the onions-ginger-garlic paste. Stir-fry till light brown.
5. Add in marinated meat to the pot. Sitr the meat evenly.
6. Add tomato puree, tomatoes and green chillies. Stir lightly.
7. Mix rempah briyani with water till a thick paste in a small bowl and add it to the pot.
8. Stir the ingredients with the meat evenly and cook it with medium low heat. (Let it simmer till tender about 1hour)
9. Add in chopped coriander and mint leaves.
10. Untill the meat if tender and cooked, add fried onions, fried cashew nuts, raisins, choped corriender to garnish.
11. Serve hot with briyani or tomato rice.