DENPASAR, BALIPOST.com – Who doesn’t know rendang? Almost everyone in Indonesia knows and is familiar with this dish.
Rendang is a dish made from beef, usually using the tenderloin or other parts that have a soft texture, using coconut milk, and filled with various spices. One of the unique things that makes rendang so special is the cooking method which takes hours to achieve a truly delicious rendang taste.
The term “rendang” is quoted from various sources, taken from the Minang language called randang, referring to a slow cooking method known as marandang. The term marandang is defined as the process of preparing and stirring a dish for a long time using a small fire over wood fuel until the dish becomes dry.
Rendang is a product of the cultural encounter of the Minang people with Indian traders who introduced their specialty dish, curry, to the Indonesian archipelago. The Minang people then modified the curry into a curry dish which is famous for its sauce, before finally processing it into kalio which makes a dish almost without sauce.
Rendang itself is the final result of the process of cooking curry for approximately 6 – 7 hours. The goal is to dry the meat so it can last longer.
Rendang Philosophy
Reporting from Indonesia Kaya, Rendang has its own philosophy for the Minangkabau people.
Meat or beef. It is a symbol of Niniak Mamak (uncle) and Bundo Kanduang (mother) as the giver of prosperity to their children and nephews.
Karambia (coconut) is a symbol of Cediak Pandai, namely a group or group of Minangkabau people who are clever and have extensive knowledge and are activators in society.
Lado or chili is a symbol of religious scholars who teach and uphold religious teachings.
Cooking (seasoning) consisting of 14 kinds of spices, namely pepper, nutmeg, shallots, red chilies, ginger, cayenne peppers, garlic, salt, laos, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, bark leaves, and lemongrass stems, as a symbol of Minangkabau society as a whole.
William Wongso’s Rendang Recipe
Quoting from the Wonderful Indonesia website, Gordon Ramsay, who is a world-renowned chef, received a challenge from Indonesian chef, William Wongso, to prepare rendang.
William Wongso’s version of rendang recipe is listed in the book Cita Rasa Indonesia: William Wongso’s Culinary Expressions, and was first taught to Gordon Ramsay when the two of them cooked together in West Sumatra.
Material
500 gr beef, cut into 5×5 cm cubes
1 turmeric leaf (can be replaced with 2 bay leaves)
15 days tamarind
750 ml thick coconut milk 24 percent fat
2 stalks lemongrass
4 kaffir lime leaves
Spice
120 gr shallots, roughly chopped
20 gr garlic, roughly chopped
125 gr large red chilies, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
10 gr ginger, roughly chopped
30 gr galangal, roughly chopped
20 gr candlenuts, puree
How to cook
Blend all the spices. Add kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and tamarind
Add thick coconut milk. Saute until the coconut oil comes out and the color turns brown
Add beef, stir well
Turn on the oven 120 degrees. Put all the ingredients in a pan without a lid, put it in the oven.
Cook slowly for 1.5-2 hours until the meat is tender.
Transfer everything to the pan. Cook slowly over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the meat turns dark brown and is tender.
Even though it takes around 7-8 hours to cook rendang, the delicious taste and aroma of rendang really arouses your appetite. Especially if you eat long-cooked rendang with warm, fluffy white rice. Don’t forget to try it at home! (Cahya Dwipayanti/balipost)
