Beef in Coconut Milk

( Rendang Sapi )

Rendang Sapi is one of the most popular dishes from Padang, West Sumatra. Padang is known by their delicious meals made from coconut milk. And Rendang Sapi is one of them. There are many Padang Restaurants (Masakan Padang) all around the country. Don't be surprised when you go to eat there. They will bring you all the dishes on your table, even though you don't order them. All you have to do is just take what you want. And of course, you have to eat what you already chosen, because they will only charge the dishes that were eaten or tasted.

Category : Beef

Difficulty : Medium

Cooking time : 45 - 60 minutes

Ingredients

- 1/2 kg topside beef

- 4 cups coconut milk ( made from 1 coconut if using freshly granted coconut)

- 2 salam leafs

- 2 kaffir lime leafs

- 3 whole star anise ( optional )

- 3 cardamom pods, bruised

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 stalk of lemongrass

- 2 fresh turmeric leafs (optional)

- 4 cm cinnamon stick

Spice Paste

- 4 red chillies, sliced (you can add more if you wish)

- 8 shallots, peeled and sliced

- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

- 3 cm ginger

- 3 cm galangal (laos), peeled and sliced

- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn, crushed

- 2 cm of turmeric

Directions

1. Prepare the spice paste by grinding or blending all ingredients finely.

2. Cut the beef into small but thick slices square.

3. Put the beef, spice paste and all other ingredients into a wok and bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly to prevent the coconut milk from separating. Cook over low heat, stirring from time to time, until the meat is very tender and all the sauce has evaporated.

4. Continue cooking the beef, which will fry in the oil that has come out from the coconut milk, until brown.

5. Serve with warm Bismati or Jasmine plain rice.