The Naked Chef

Passport & Plate - Spicy Rendang

Indonesia | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 2 photos

Ingredients
• 1 kilo of free-range chicken cut into pieces
• 1 big onion
• 5 shallots
• 5-7 garlic cloves
• 3 -4 fresh red chillies
• 1-2 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• ½ tablespoon black pepper
• ½ Tbs nutmeg
• 1-3 cloves
• 3 cm piece of galangal (Thai ginger)
• 3 cm fresh turmeric
• 3 lemongrass stalks
• 1 tablespoon lime leaves (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup fresh coconut milk
• ¼ cup grated and toasted coconut
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar/ brown sugar

For Garnish
• 1 tablespoon sliced red chilies

 

How to prepare this recipe
Place the chillies, onion, garlic, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, coriander seeds, black peppers and nutmeg in a blender or food processor to blend into a thick paste (you can use 5-8 tablespoon of water to help the grinding process). Alternatively you can use a mortar to make the paste.

Heat a frying pan with some vegetable oil, slowly add in the paste with lime leaves, fry under medium fire till the oil starts to float on the surface. This process will roughly take about 15-20 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and stir well for 10 minutes before you add the coconut milk, palm sugar and water. Reduce the fire and let it slowly simmer for about 1.5 - 2 hours while stirring every 10- 15 minutes. Just before you stop the cooking process, sprinkle the toasted grated coconut on top and give it a good stir. Cook for another 10 minutes before you let it cool down.

Serve in a plate with steamed rice and red chilies for garnishing. This dish can also be eaten with garlic rice and sticky rice or the glutinous rice.

For better taste, leave the cooked Rendang in the refrigerator for two to three days and try the fourth day onwards. It actually taste better the longer you leave it.

 

The story behind this recipe
During my visit to Indonesia I got acquainted with a unique local dish called Rendang. It’s a spicy meat dish which originated from the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia in the West Sumatera. The secret of the dish lies in the preparation of the spicy paste and the slow cooking method. The selections of spices such as lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger root), coriander seeds and cumin seeds add a very refreshing taste to this dish that further enhances the depth of the taste. Lemongrass in Asian culture is commonly used for relaxation, detoxification and rejuvenation where else ginger to aid digestion. The addition of coconut milk adds a rich texture while giving a mild sweet flavour to the spicy dish.

Rendang is also a very versatile dish as you can easily substitute the chicken with beef, lamb, fish, potato, eggs or even vegetables like jack fruit and cassava. It’s interesting to see how the flavours get transformed when with each of these ingredients. From my first few attempts on this recipe, I learned few priceless tips on how to cook this dish to perfection. Firstly we need to allow plenty of time to cook Rendang, it has its own lethargic cooking rhythm. Secondly, it’s better to use a shallow and wide pan such as skillet rather than a deep soup pot. The less enclosed the cooking space, the easier it will be for the liquid to evaporate. Thirdly always use fresh and best quality meat for this dish, as for the chicken it is best to go with free-range breed. To get the meat really tender, throw in few cubes of fresh green papaya that acts as organic meat tenderizer and thickening agent. Alternatively some like to use grated coconut (toasted until golden brown) or potato wedges to add thickness to the dish. I personally like it with some gravy to go with some rice or bread.

I enjoy making this dish at home during weekends and it is ideal to be eaten with chilled mango salad or alternatively pineapple salad.