Rendang Tok Kak Uteh

Name: Rendang Tok Kak Uteh (Grandma’s Rendang)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) beef, roast joint; 175 g (6 oz) dried chilli paste; 5 stalks lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced; 1 tsp black pepper powder; 5-cm (2-inch) knob ginger, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; 2 Tbsp chopped dark palm sugar, or to taste; 2 tsp cumin powder; 2 turmeric leaves, finely sliced; 110 g (4 oz) toasted grated coconut; 1 Tbsp coriander powder; 2 cinnamon sticks; 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups) coconut milk; 2 slices asam gelugor; 7.5-cm (3-inch) knob galangal, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 cloves; 4 star anise; 4 cardamom pods; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced; 325 g (11 oz) shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

Grandma’s Rendang

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

My Rendang isn't Crispy

By Zaleha Kadir Olpin

Published 2019

About

I learnt to make this rendang from my late sister-in-law, who came from Perak. All the ingredients in this dish are chopped, nothing is blended, except for the dried chilli paste. The first time I saw her making this rendang, I was sceptical and wondered how the flavour of the spices would infuse the meat as everything is chopped. Needless to say, I was very impressed. The rendang was delicious, with the spices coating the meat, and the meat meltingly tender.