About this recipe

Rendang is Minangkabau slow cooking at its most patient: beef simmers in spiced coconut milk until the liquid reduces, the oil separates, and the meat turns deep brown and impossibly tender.

This is a celebration dish and a freezer hero. Mothers often cook a large pot on weekends because leftover rendang tastes even better the next day as the spices settle.

Do not rush the last stage. The “dry” finish is what makes rendang different from ordinary gulai—stir often near the end so nothing catches on the bottom.

Prep & cook time

Prep30 minutes
Cook2 hours 30 minutes
Total3 hours
Servings6 servings
LevelHard

Tools you need

Blender or food processor
Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
Wooden spoon
Knife and cutting board

Ingredients

1 kg beef (brisket, chuck, or stewing beef), cut into 4–5 cm pieces
1 L thick coconut milk (from about 2 coconuts, or full-fat canned)
12 shallots
6 cloves garlic
8 red chilies (or to taste)
4 cm ginger
3 cm turmeric
3 cm galangal, smashed
4 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)
2 turmeric leaves, knotted (optional but traditional)
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
2–3 pieces asam kandis (or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste)
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons oil, for sautéing

Directions

Blend the shallots, garlic, chilies, ginger, turmeric, and candlenuts into a fine paste.
Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Sauté the paste with galangal, lemongrass, turmeric leaves, and kaffir lime leaves until fragrant and the oil begins to separate, 8–10 minutes.
Add the beef and stir until the pieces change color and are coated in spice.
Pour in the coconut milk and add asam kandis and salt. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring every 10–15 minutes, for 1.5–2 hours as the sauce thickens.
When the liquid is low and oil appears on the surface, stir more often so the spices caramelize onto the meat without scorching.
Continue until the beef is very tender and the coating is dark brown and almost dry.
Taste for salt. Rest 10 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.

Kitchen tips

Choose a well-marbled cut; lean beef can dry out during the long cook.
If using canned coconut milk, stir often—it scorches more easily than fresh.
Rendang freezes beautifully for up to 1 month.
Lower the chili count for children; the dish stays rich without extreme heat.

Serve with

Steamed rice
Ketupat or lontong
Cassava leaves
Sambal hijau

How to store

Cool completely, then refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 1 month. Reheat gently on the stove with a spoonful of water if needed.

Common mistakes

Boiling hard from the start, which can split the coconut milk and toughen the meat.
Walking away in the final dry stage—this is when burning happens.
Cutting the beef too small so it shreds before the sauce finishes.

Rendang Daging