What is rendang?

Rendang, is called Rendang Daging if it is beef based; you can also make rendang from, for example, chicken, goat or duck. Rendang Daging is by far the most famous version and is often simply referred to as ‘Rendang’. It’s (beef) stew based on (yes) beef, a spicy bumbu (spice paste) and is made by simmering for many hours so that you get deliciously tender meat. In 2011, Indonesian rendang was voted the most delicious dish in the world by CNN (research was conducted among 35,000 people).

The key to any successful beef stew: sear your meat!

Searing your meat will really improve ay stew, making sure the meat is also colored. You sear before any fluids hit the pan, otherwise you would be cooking the meat.

Pat the meat dry before cooking. Put two pans on the fire: the stew in which you are going to prepare your stew and in which you first stew your onions in a knob of butter on a medium heat (that can also be a ceramic cocotte, for example). In the other pan in which you put the meat to sear (it is better to use a metal adhesive pan for this). By I we mean that you let the pan heat up to high heat, melt some butter or oil in it, and then fry the meat briefly on all sides until golden brown. Only the outsides should turn golden brown, the meat should not be cooked on the inside yet. Season it with pepper and a little salt.

Don’t put all the meat in the pan at once: this will cause the meat to cook instead of frying. Cooking makes the meat tough. It is therefore better to fry it in portions.

The key ingredients for rendang