Malaysian Beef Rendang Recipe

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This AMAZING Malaysian Beef Rendang recipe is rich, creamy, spicy and filled with so many great flavors.

A Malaysian beef curry, the beef is braised in creamy coconut milk and spices until fall apart tender and served on a bed of rice (like this nasi kunyit or turmeric rice).

Guys...I know I say this a lot, but this Beef Rendang recipe is my new favorite dish. If you've never had Rendang you're in for a treat.

Does it take a while to cook? Yes. But is it totally worth every second? Definitely yes!

You can also try this homemade chicken rendang or beef massaman curry that has a ton of flavor.

What is Beef Rendang?

Malaysian beef rendang is made with beef stew meat simmered in a broth of rich and creamy coconut milk, lemongrass, tamarind, spicy Thai chilies, and other spices until it is fall apart tender. All the spices are what gives this curry it's complex, delicious flavor.

Then it's simmered some more until all that beautiful liquid has been absorbed (like we do in this massaman lamb curry). It's more of a dry curry that is totally packed with flavor and super easy to fall in love with.

It is the curry of all the curries in my opinion!

More reader favorite Malaysian and Indonesian inspired recipes:

• Mee siam
• Mee rebus
• Prawn laksa
• Sambal tofu
• Singapore laksa

Why This Recipe Works

1. The beef is seared before being braised for an extra dimension of meaty flavor.
2. The beef is slow cooked in a coconut milk broth until fall apart tender and flavorful.
3. The amount of dried Thai chilies used can be adjusted depending on your spice preference.
4. It's a perfect make-ahead dish, in that the flavors become even better the second day.
5. Kaffir limes leaves add the perfect citrus flavor to the offset the richness of the coconut milk and beef. Learn more about Kaffir Lime Leaves in this article from The Spruce Eats. 

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Don't be overwhelmed by the long list of ingredients. Most can be found at your local grocery store or Asian market - or bought on Amazon. I've included links as well as substitutions for some of the ingredients below.

Regular beef stew meat works great in this recipe. It gets nice and tender throughout the hours of cooking.

Always use full fat coconut milk in any recipe calling for coconut milk. The light version tends to be thinner and watery.

The whole cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom seeds are best when toasted and ground fresh as opposed to buying pre-ground spices.

Dried Thai chilies are what provide the spice in this dish. You can use less or more depending on your spice preference.

Tamarind is a tangy fruit that grows on trees in tropical areas. The pods contain a pulpy substance that has a sweet and sour flavor. Using tamarind concentrate is an easy substitute for fresh tamarind (can be a hassle to work with).

We are lucky enough to have a kaffir lime tree in our yard, but you can also purchase the leaves dried online, or find them in the Asian market (can be more difficult).

You want to use shredded, unsweetened coconut. You can also buy the coconut pre-toasted, but it is much more expensive and it's easier to just make your own (instructions provided below).

Lastly, fresh lemongrass can be found in many grocery stores now, but you can also use a lemongrass paste as a substitute for convenience. When using fresh lemongrass, you want to peel the outside layers off and only use the soft white interior.

Step By Step Instructions

Start by adding the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and cardamon to a skillet over medium low heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant.

Remove from heat and grind to a powder using a mortar and pestle.

You can use pre-ground spices here instead, but for the best flavor, whole toasted spices are really the way to go. 

Heat the coconut oil over high heat in a Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot. Add the beef in batches and brown on all sides.

It's important to avoid overcrowding the pan - if you put too much beef in at once, it will steam instead of brown. I actually used 3 batches.

Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the spice paste (see below for how to make the spice paste).

Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the paste has turned a dark brown (not burned). Add the ground spices and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the beef back in and mix well to coat. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the coconut milk, lemongrass stalks, tamarind concentrate, toasted coconut (see instructions below for toasting), beef broth, palm sugar, salt and kaffir lime leaves.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes.

Remove the lid and turn up the heat to medium high.

Cook, stirring occasionally to ensure no sticking, for about 20-30 minutes, or until the liquid has absorbed.

Serve with steamed rice, sliced chilies (optional) and a drizzle of fresh lime juice. And honestly, it tastes better the next day so we love to make this in advance!

You can also serve it with roti or naan.

How to Make the Spice Paste

Add the ingredients in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. It does not need to be totally smooth like a smoothie. It should be like a rough paste.

How to Toast Coconut

Heat the oven to 350F degrees. Pour the coconut in a small metal baking dish and spread out.

Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Coconut should be a light golden brown when done.

Expert Tips

1. Cut the beef in 2" cubes for the best results.
2. It is important to brown the beef in batches to obtain the browned crust we want for flavor. If you crowd the pan it causes the beef to steam instead of brown.
3. Add more or less dried chilies to the spice paste to adjust the spice level.
4. Coconut sugar or brown sugar can be substituted for the palm sugar.
5. Kaffir lime leaves are essential to the flavor of this dish. I've included a link to buy them in the recipe card. However, 1 teaspoon lime zest can be substituted if necessary.
6. I recommend toasting the whole spices and grinding them for the best flavor, however, ground spices can be substituted to save time. Note the flavor will not be as fresh with pre-ground spices.
7. Lemongrass paste can be substituted for fresh lemongrass. Use 1 tablespoon for every "stalk" called for in the recipe.
8. Toast your own coconut (instructions above) or buy toasted coconut from the store.
9. The flavor actually tastes better the next day, so for the best results, make it then reheat it the next day for serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It actually gets better after it sits overnight.

You can also store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!