Beef rendang, or rendang daging, is a slow-cooked beef curry made with coconut milk, chillies, lemongrass, galangal and kerisik until the meat is meltingly tender and the sauce thickens and clings to every piece. This is my family’s authentic Singaporean and Malaysian beef rendang recipe, deeply spiced, richly aromatic, and perfect for festive tables and special meals.
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
Table of contents
What is Beef Rendang?
Beef rendang, or rendang daging, is a slow-cooked beef curry made with coconut milk, chillies, lemongrass and fragrant aromatics, simmered until the beef is tender and the sauce becomes dark, thick and intensely flavourful.
Unlike a looser curry, beef rendang is meant to cook down so the rich, spiced coconut mixture clings to every piece of meat.
For me, it is also full of family memory. When I first moved to the UK, every time I visited home, my older sister would send me back with a tub of freshly made rendang, and I’d be perfectly happy eating it for the next 4 or 5 days. That is exactly what rendang is to me: comfort food, celebration food, and a taste of home all in one.
History of Beef Rendang
Rendang is widely associated with the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra in Indonesia, but beef rendang has also long been part of Malay cooking in Singapore and Malaysia.
Originally from Indonesia, going as far back as the 15th century, beef rendang started out life very humbly; it was a method to cook down and preserve tough buffalo meat, the privilege of the rich in the villages of West Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is said to have originated.
The buffalo meat rendang daging would be packed in banana leaves and taken on the frequent long, arduous journeys that many workers would embark on, in their quest for new jobs in nearby cities and villages. It would keep up to 4 weeks, apparently.
But beef rendang has long been adopted and considered a local dish by the Malays in Singapore and Malaysia.
Traditionally, no Malay wedding is complete without beef rendang, or rendang daging (daging = meat) as we would call it in Malay, just as no Hari Raya (Eid) table is quite right without this most regal of dishes. Mine certainly isn’t!
At Christmas, we can’t do without a homemade Christmas pudding, at Eid, we can’t do without beef rendang!
Why Beef Rendang Is So Special
In my opinion, what makes beef rendang so special is the way all the spices and aromatics are given time to do their work. Galangal, ginger and lemongrass already bring so much character to the pot, but once coconut milk and kerisik join in, the whole thing becomes deeper, toastier and far more rounded.
The result is a beef curry that is rich without being heavy, intensely perfumed, and completely unforgettable from the very first bite. It will have you under its spell from the very first mouthful.
Nay, from your very first sniff!
How to Make Beef Rendang?
This authentic beef rendang recipe uses my family’s method: everything goes into the pot together, then cooks low and slow until the beef is tender and the curry becomes thick, rich and dry-ish.
So many of my childhood recipes had their beginnings in my granny’s kitchen. However, this beef rendang recipe (resepi rendang daging) belongs firmly with my mother. She was a nurse until she retired, and was also a well known recording artist in her late teens and 20s.
She and my late uncle were popular for the Malay songs they used to sing. Many of those songs were Malay renditions of popular Hindi songs with my uncle doing the translating.
Got a Malay background? Ask your older family members if they know the late Zainab Majid and her brother, the late Razak Majid. That’s mum and my uncle.
I have distinct memories of cooking this with her when it was just the two of us in our apartment (our family was always all over the place!).
The method of cooking this beef rendang is something she learnt from her aunt in Ipoh, Perak (Malaysia), where the popular royal Rendang Tok is said to have originated.
- Basically, in our recipe, there’s no initial sautéeing involved.
- We just place everything into a saucepan or a Dutch oven, and let it cook away on low heat for a good 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- At 3 hours, you will have meat that’s practically falling apart, which is the hallmark of a good beef rendang.
- You can also stop cooking earlier, as long as the meat is cooked, for a wetter curry.
That is another thing about beef rendang – to each his own is carried to another level with this curry, while still respecting the boundaries.
Beef Rendang Ingredients
Some dishes just call for difficult to find ingredients that you cannot substitute for and hope to recreate the same dish. And this is one of them.
Some of the links below for the ingredients are on LinsFood.com.
Best Cut of Beef for Rendang
Use a proper slow-cooking cut. Braising steak, stewing beef, chuck and shin are all good choices because they have enough connective tissue and fat to become tender over a long simmer. Lean quick-cooking steaks are not what you want here. They will cook long before the rendang is ready, and by the time the sauce has reduced properly, the meat will be miserable.
My own recipe uses generous cuts of braising or stewing beef, and that is exactly the sort of cut you want for this style of cooking.
Galangal (lengkuas in Malay)
Click to read more on galangal. The curry won’t work as well without it, I’m afraid.
Galangal has a sharp, floral, sweet and almost piney aroma and flavour. It is a different ingredient altogether from ginger. Ginger is citrusy and spicy; galangal is brighter, more aromatic and more assertive in a completely different direction. These two are not interchangeable, no matter what some websites try to tell you.
If you are in the UK, galangal paste is often easier to find than fresh. Larger supermarkets sometimes stock it, and it is perfectly useful here.
1 tsp paste = 1″/2.5cm fresh galangal.
Kerisik
Click here to read more on Kerisik, on LinsFood. Kerisik is one of the ingredients that gives beef rendang its nutty, toasty depth. It is simply dry-roasted coconut, usually made from grated or desiccated coconut, cooked until golden and fragrant, then pounded with a pestle and mortar.
It sounds modest, but it contributes far more than you’d think. Along with the coconut milk, it helps give rendang that unmistakable rounded richness. Use unsweetened desiccated coconut, and ideally one without added preservatives.
Turmeric Leaves (daun kunyit in Malay)
Click here to read more about turmeric leaves and how to grow them. Turmeric leaves have a grassy and citrusy constitution that is the defining aroma of an authentic Singaporean and Malaysian beef rendang.
Outside of Asia, they are probably not easy to come by but the good news is, if you have access to fresh turmeric, then you can grow them yourself! As long as the weather is warm.
Just pot up a fresh tuber in compost and keep somewhere bright and mild, like a windowsill. In fact, even in the cold of winter, if you leave turmeric tubers long enough in the kitchen, they will produce shoots.
Kaffir lime leaves (aka makrut lime leaves) are not a substitute for turmeric leaves but they are an acceptable alternative, if you cannot get hold of turmeric leaves.
Chillies (chili peppers)
This is traditionally a spicy curry. But you can cut those dried red chillies right down for a milder version. I always make 2 separate lots, one a fairly spicy version, the other, a very mild one, for the younger kids.
Speaking of ingredients, beef rendang offers some latitude in the spices that you can use to cook it.
Some cooks will make it more curry-ish, adding cumin and/or whole spices like a cinnamon stick and cloves to the mix. Others leave all these spices out, no coriander and turmeric either, as in my recipe here.
And there are plenty of folks who add tamarind (asam) to their beef rendang for just that bit of sour and some will add gula melaka, or palm sugar for an extra hint of caramel, along with the kerisik. I must confess, that I chop and change sometimes too!
Beef Rendang Spice Paste (Rempah)
You do need a food processor or blender for this to work best. Add the ingredients in the order that they’ve been listed, giving the earlier ingredients (the more fibrous ones) a better opportunity to be ground to a finer stage.
Coconut Milk – always cook on a low heat when cooking with coconut milk. Otherwise, your milk will split, even the canned variety with stabilisers can be temperamental sometimes.
Is Rendang Supposed to Be Dry?
Yes, but not dry in a mean, overcooked sort of way. A proper beef rendang should be thick and reduced rather than loose and gravy-heavy. It starts off looking like a rich curry, then slowly cooks down as the coconut milk reduces, the oil begins to separate, and the sauce clings to the beef instead of pooling around it.
Some people stop a little earlier for a slightly wetter finish, and that is perfectly fine too, but rendang should never be soupy.
How to Tell When Beef Rendang Is Done
A good beef rendang is done when the meat is very tender, the sauce is thick and deeply coloured, and everything looks coated rather than saucy.
If the beef is still chewy, it needs longer. If the curry still looks thin, it needs more time uncovered. Rendang is not difficult, but it does insist on patience.
How to Store Leftovers
Beef rendang is one of those dishes that often tastes even better the next day. Cool any leftovers as quickly as possible, then refrigerate them in an airtight container and eat within 2 days. I know, I know – I used to keep it for much longer, but in the interest of food safety and all that, let’s go with 2 days.
For longer storage, freeze portions and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating. When reheating, make sure the rendang is piping hot all the way through.
Troubleshooting Beef Rendang
If your rendang is watery, it simply needs longer cooking time, uncovered, so the liquid can reduce.
If the beef is cooked but not truly tender, it needs more time. Tough cuts do not care about your schedule.
If the coconut milk has split badly, the heat was likely too high. The flavour can still be good, but next time keep the simmer gentler.
If it tastes flatter than you expected, check the basics: enough salt, enough chillies, and whether your aromatics were fresh enough to pull their weight.
Variations
Can you use other meat to make rendang? Absolutely, just substitute it, pound for pound. In fact, chicken rendang, or rendang ayam is also a very traditional dish in these countries.
When cooking chicken rendang (click for recipe), you want to use meat on the bone for a tastier curry.
Absolutely, you can use other proteins to make rendang. Chicken rendang, or rendang ayam, is also very traditional, and for that I prefer meat on the bone for a tastier curry.
And if you know someone who’s vegetarian, I also make a vegan rendang based on this exact flavour profile. Just click here to get the recipe.
Since my kids have all gone vegetarian, with one pescatarian, I now make rendang with vegan protein pieces using this same recipe base.
That, for me, is one of the strengths of rendang. The flavour structure is so good that it carries beautifully across different ingredients, as long as you respect what makes rendang taste like rendang.
How to Serve Beef Rendang
Given that it is a very rich curry, whatever accompaniments you have will lean towards, erm, lean.
- Nasi minyak, which is the Malay equivalent of pilau rice, is a very traditional accompaniment to beef rendang.
- Plain steamed rice or flatbreads, are also another great way to serve this beef rendang.
- Another starch that is popular with rendang daging is Roti Jala, a lacy pancake that is simplicity itself and that I’ve been meaning to blog for a long, long time. My sister in law even got me the contraption to make it the last time they visited from Singapore, about 3 years ago!
- Lemang is the perfect recipe for to go with our Beef Rendang! Lemang is glutinous rice that’s traditionally cooked in banana leaf lined bamboo poles. While in Malaysian and Indonesian villages, families may cook it themselves, it has long been something most folks buy at food stalls, and especially night markets.
The recipe here is my version of it, without using the impossible-to-get bamboo poles for cooking! For all of us who no longer live in the countries we were born in. - And remember the pachri nenas from a few weeks back? The pineapple salsa? That will go so well with beef rendang, as an accompaniment.
Beef Rendang FAQs
Beef rendang is a slow-cooked beef curry made with coconut milk, chillies, lemongrass, galangal and spices, cooked until the sauce reduces and clings to the meat.
Rendang daging is simply Malay for meat rendang. In everyday use, it usually refers to beef rendang.
Rendang is widely associated with the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra in Indonesia, but it has long been part of Malay cooking in both Malaysia and Singapore too.
Historically, rendang is usually traced to Indonesia, but it is also deeply rooted in Malaysian and Singaporean Malay food culture. In other words, origin and adoption can both be true.
A slow-cooking cut such as chuck, shin, braising steak or stewing beef is best. You want a cut that can simmer for hours and turn tender without drying out.
It should be thick and reduced rather than loose and gravy-heavy. A good rendang coats the meat richly, not like a soupy curry.
It is done when the beef is very tender, the sauce is dark and thick, and the oil has started to separate slightly from the coconut mixture.
It usually just needs longer cooking, uncovered. Rendang needs time for the coconut milk to reduce and the flavours to concentrate.
Yes, and it is even better the next day. Like many slow-cooked dishes, the flavour deepens after resting.
Yes. Let it cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Yes. Just reduce the number of dried red chillies and be sure to use mild chillies. You will still get the flavour without the full heat.
Yes, although the aroma will be slightly different. Kaffir lime leaves are the best alternative herb for making beef rendang.
Kerisik is toasted coconut, ground or crushed, and it adds nutty depth to rendang. If you want that proper rounded rendang flavour, it is highly recommended.
Yes. Some cooks add tamarind for sourness or gula melaka for a deeper, slightly caramel note. Both are perfectly at home in rendang.
Plain rice, nasi minyak, roti jala and lemang are all excellent with beef rendang. Something sharp like pineapple on the side also works beautifully.
And on that note, shall we get our aprons on?
If you like the recipe and article, don’t forget to leave me a comment and that all important, 5-star rating! Terima kasih!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood
Lin xx
Beef Rendang Recipe (Resepi Rendang Daging)
Equipment
- knife
- scissors
- ladles and spoons
- sieve/colander
- bowl
- saucepan or dutch oven
Ingredients
Ingredients A
- 2 large turmeric leaves OR 6 kaffir lime leaves (daun kunyit)
- 1 kg generous cuts of braising or stewing beef
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised (serail)
- 250 ml water
- 4 Tbsp kerisik you'll want 4 Tbsp of grated or desiccated coconut, watch the video on how to make it.
Ingredients B (to be ground)
- 20-30 dried red chillies (cili kering)
- 3 stalks lemongrass (serai)
- 2.5 cm galangal (lengkuas)
- 5 cm ginger (halia)
- 5 medium cloves garlic (bawang putih)
- 2 large onions, quartered (bawang besar)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric (serbuk kunyit)
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander (serbuk ketumbar)
Instructions
Let's prepare the ingredients
- Cut the dried red chillies in 2-3 pieces, depending on their lengths, and soak them in a bowl of hot water for 20 minutes. In the meantime, get all the other ingredients ready.20-30 dried red chillies
- Roll your turmeric leaves up and either using a knife or a pair of scissors, cut them up into thin shreds. If using lime leaves, just tear the leaves up.2 large turmeric leaves OR 6 kaffir lime leaves
- Drain and rinse the chillies, and losing the seeds, if you like. Place them aside.
Let's chop up the ingredients into a paste
- Start chopping your ingredients in the order that they are listed in the above list. Start with lemongrass, chop for 10 seconds, then galangal, chop for another 10 seconds, then ginger, then garlic, the prepared red chillies, and so on. Every time the chopped ingredients start to feel a bit dry, add a quarter of an onion for moisture. No need for water. Continue chopping/blending until you have a fairly fine mix.3 stalks lemongrass, 2.5 cm galangal, 5 cm ginger, 5 medium cloves garlic, 2 large onions, quartered, ½ tsp ground turmeric , 1 Tbsp ground coriander
Let's get cooking!
- Now get a large saucepan or a dutch oven and place everying in, start with the beef, then the ground ingredients, the coconut milk, kerisik, salt, lemongrass, water and finally the thinly shredded turmeric leaves or your torn lime leaves.1 kg generous cuts of braising or stewing beef, 400 ml coconut milk, 1 tsp salt, 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised, 250 ml water, 4 Tbsp kerisik
- Put it on a low heat and let it come to a gentle simmer. Stir to mix everything up, and leave, uncovered, to cook for a minimum of 2 and a half hours to 3, until the beef is meltingly tender and you have a dry-ish curry.
- You shouldn't really need to stir the rendang until the last 30 minutes or so, where you'll have to do it a handful of times, as it starts to dry up and may start to catch on the base. Check seasoning and add more salt if you think it needs it.
- Serve as suggested above. The beef rendang will keep, covered, for a week in the fridge. It also freezes well, although the beef will be falling apart even more after freezing.
Thank you Kak Lin, just like my mother used to make.
You are very welcome, Nazlin, I’m really pleased to hear that.
easy peasy
Awesome
I think this was the best rendang I’ve ever tried. I really loved the method of not sauteing anything at the start. Planning to make it for a potluck this weekend. Thank you for sharing your mum’s recipe with us.
It’s my pleasure, Linda. I’m pleased that you love it.
Hello, was looking to try this… just wondering.. do you put any oil in? If so how much?
Hi Dalvin, no I don’t add any oil to sauté the rendang paste. We place everything in the saucepan and let it come to a simmer. On the video, this starts at around 7:10.
This is a recipe that’s been handed down a couple of generations.
But in my vegan rendang recipe, I do fry the spices with some oil.
Loved it! Couldnt find the right chili in my supermarket but was very good anyway!
Next time im going to search in our asian food store, (I live in Sweden) But thanks for a great recepie!
Hi Ingela, I’m very pleased to hear that! It’s always a pleasure when someone enjoys a recipe from my blogs. x
Oh man, this was possibly the best curry I’ve ever tasted! Never had a curry from that part of the world. Amazing!
I’m pleased you enjoyed it, Harry.
Spectacular recipe! Thanks!
A pleasure, Charles.
Thanks Kak Lin, simply amazing. I’m hosting the family at Raya this year insha’allah, so wanted to do a test run. It was so good. Going to try your kuih tart too.
A pleasure, Su, I’m pleased you enjoyed it!
One of the best curries I’ve ever had. Thanks looking forward to trying more recipes here.
A pleasure, Diane, it really is one of the best curries!
Absolutely delicious! My children loved it too and they are fussy. Thank you, it was so easy to make too, something I didn’t realise before. And best part, I froze the leftover for another day.
Cool, Angeline, I’m pleased everyone enjoyed it. And yes, to rendang leftovers!
Made this for dinner last night, it was out of this world. Can’t believe I just cooked a delicious rendang at home, better than anything I’ve had at restaurants! Thanks!
Haha, a pleasure Mark. Once you have the ingredients ready, it’s pretty easy.