Beef Rendang (The BEST Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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Beef Rendang - the best and most authentic beef rendang recipe you will find online! Spicy, rich and creamy Malaysian/Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk.

Beef Rendang (The BEST Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (1)

Beef Rendang (The BEST Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2)

Table of Contents

What Is Rendang?

Rendang is a rich and tender coconut beef stew which is explosively flavorful and beef rendang is the most popular rendang.

Called “rendang daging” in local language, it’s arguably the most famous beef recipe in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Origins of Rendang

Beef rendang is of Indonesian origin, a delicious concoction from the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia.

It’s often served at ceremonial occasions and to honor guests.

I believe the dish came to Malaysia when the Minangkabau settlers from Sumatra migrated to the southern part of the Malay peninsula during the era of the Melaka Sultanate.

This dish is well loved by many Malaysians, especially the Malay community.

Beef Rendang (The BEST Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (3)

While beef rendang is the poster child, there are variations such as chicken rendang and lamb rendang.

They are all absolutely delicious and best with rice, or Malaysian coconut milk rice (nasi lemak).

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Other Recipes You Might Like

  • Chicken Rendang
  • Lamb Rendang
  • Panang Curry

What Kind of Beef for Rendang?

I used boneless beef short ribs or stew beef. The cut of beef will ensure that you have soft and tender beef once it’s cooked.

You have to cut the beef into small pieces to ensure that after the slow cooking, each chunk of beef is tender with the aromatic rendang curry paste.

Secret Ingredient of Rendang Sauce

To make the best rendang, you need to have the secret ingredient which is kerisik or toasted coconut.

You also need to cook on low heat to slowly stew and simmer the meat and reduce the rendang sauce.

I read that the Minangkabaus save the dish for months as the complex taste and flavor develop over time.

The Best and Most Authentic Rendang

I suggest that you make a big portion so you have some leftover. The flavors and aroma become more intense the next day.

Do try my recipe because it’s the most delicious and best beef rendang recipe you will find online!

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How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 416 calories per serving.

What to Serve with This Recipe?

Serve this dish with rice, noodles or bread. For a traditional Malaysian meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Roti Jala

Chicken Satay

Nasi Lemak

Veggie Mee Goreng (Fried Noodles)

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Beef Rendang (The Best!)

Beef Rendang - the best and most authentic beef rendang recipe you will find online! Spicy, rich and creamy Malaysian/Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk.

4.55 from 725 votes

Print

By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 4 People

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. boneless beef short ribs, cut into cubes
  • 5 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 stick cinnamon (about 2-inch length)
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 star anise
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 lemongrass (cut into 4-inch length and pounded)
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk (coconut cream)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp (soaked in some warm water for the juice and discard the seeds)
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves (very finely sliced)
  • 6 tablespoons kerisik (toasted coconut)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar or palm sugar to taste
  • salt to taste

Spice Paste:

  • 5 shallots
  • 1 inch galangal
  • 3 lemongrass (white part only)
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 10-12 dried chilies (soaked in warm water and seeded)

Instructions

  • Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until fine.

  • Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked.

  • Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar or palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.

  • Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up. Add more salt and sugar to taste. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

Notes

To prepare thekerisikor toasted coconut, just add the grated coconut to a dry wok and stir continuously until they turn golden brown.

Course: Malaysian Recipes

Cuisine: Malaysian

Keywords: Beef Rendang

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Beef Rendang (The Best!)

Amount Per Serving (4 People)

Calories 416Calories from Fat 468

% Daily Value*

Fat 52g80%

Saturated Fat 24g150%

Cholesterol 100mg33%

Sodium 132mg6%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 36g72%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Beef Rendang (The BEST Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

What is rasa rendang? ›

Indomie Mie Goreng Rasa Rendang is an instant-noodle judicial variant that comes from Indonesia and consists of delicious fried pasta with rending taste. Rendang is a traditional Indonesian dish that consists of delicate meat, coconut milk and spices and is cooked for hours to achieve an intensive taste.

What cut of beef is best for rendang? ›

Beef - You can use any slow cooking cut of beef for this recipe but chuck is best. As with all slow cooked beef recipes, the fattier beef, the juicier the meat will be when cooked. Gravy beef and beef cheeks are also good. Brisket will work but has less fat throughout so not as juicy.

Is beef rendang Malaysian or Indonesian? ›

Rendang is a popular dish made with meat stewed in coconut milk and spices. Believed to originate in West Sumatra, Indonesia, by the Minangkabau people, the dish is commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

What does Malaysian rendang taste like? ›

The curry is aromatic, the spices come together beautifully. The extra effort you take to make the caramelized coconut makes all the difference to the sweetness and texture of the dish. The rendang is sweet initially, followed by a complex spice profile and it finished with a medium lingering heat that is addictive.

What does Rasa mean in taste? ›

In Indian aesthetics, a rasa (Sanskrit: रस) literally means "juice, essence or taste". It is a concept in Indian arts denoting the aesthetic flavour of any visual, literary or musical work that evokes an emotion or feeling in the reader or audience, but cannot be described.

Is beef rendang unhealthy? ›

Comment: Although this dish is moderately high in energy and fat, it should not be eaten regularly as it is high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Why is my beef rendang tough? ›

If rendang is chewy and tough, then you don't cook it properly (it's either due to not long enough cooking or not slicing the beef against the grain). What makes rendang special is the epic spice explosion that you can taste in a single bite of rendang meat.

Why is my rendang so watery? ›

Towards the end I stir it every 5 minutes. You should have a very thick, not runny sauce, and you can add more water if it gets too dry as it cooks. If the beef is done, but there is too much liquid, just open the pot and stir for a few more minutes to let it reduce.

How to tenderise beef for rendang? ›

Pressure cook beef with spice paste and other ingredients till half tender. Release pressure. Continue cooking down to tenderise beef further and cook gravy down.

What is a good side dish for rendang? ›

The traditional side dish for a rendang is rice - try a coconut or tumeric rice to complement the flavors in the sauce, and serve with some additional toasted coconut and chopped lime leaf and coriander on the side.

Is rendang wet or dry? ›

Wet rendang is essentially a rendang that has not been cooked for as long as a dry rendang, meaning there is some gravy left clinging to the slow-cooked meat.

What is the signature dish of rendang? ›

All you need to know about the signature Minang dish from Indonesia. The slow cooked dish originated from West Sumatra is rich with spices and cooked with love. Rendang is the champion of Minang food. The protein stew drenched in deep oily red and brown gravy is known as Rendang.

Why does my rendang taste bitter? ›

Rendang can take on a bitter taste if you burned the whole spices or the spice paste. Be sure to let it brown, but not burn to avoid a bitter taste.

Can rendang be kept overnight? ›

Freshly cooked beef rendang can also be eaten over several days — in fact, the chef recommends letting the rendang rest overnight for even deeper flavours.

What curry paste is similar to rendang? ›

Skimming recipes online it seems like massaman is pretty much a rendang with more liquid (since rendang is basically dry) and with potatoes and sometimes peanuts added. And rendang also usually has toasted coconut.

What is kahanga rendang? ›

Cooked alongside the chicken are other ingredients like lemongrass, turmeric, chili, garlic, coconut milk, and onions. Kahanga Rendang. This is a dish comprised of shellfish meat stir-fried with seasonings of lemongrass, golden coconut meat, lemongrass, and onions. Pickled Agal-Agal (Seaweed)

What is rasa dish? ›

Rasa kayi is a traditional Indian mixed vegetable curry originating from South India, and it's especially popular in Karnataka. The dish is usually made with a combination of onions, hot peppers, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, coconut milk, turmeric, coriander, chili powder, oil, and salt.

What are the ingredients in Indomie Rasa rendang? ›

Refined Palm Oil (Contains Antioxidant 319), Onion, Chilli, Candlenut, Garlic, Ginger, Galangal, Turmeric Leaves, Lemongrass, Lime Leaves, Turmeric, Bay Leaves, Paprika Colour, Curry Flavour. Sweet Soy Sauce: Sugar, Water, Salt, Wheat, Sao Bean, Spices, Sesame Oil. Chilli Powder.

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