Rendang Beef

Holidays are here and I have been rather busy, shopping for food, ingredients and cooking and eating (of course).   I would like to wish all foodies Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2011. 

Here is one recipe that I cooked yesterday.  We had friends over for a Christmas get-together. I  cooked my Pak Cham Kai (White cut chicken) served as part of Hainanese Chicken Rice, Rendang Beef and Stir fry seafood with Basil.  All the dishes were very popular with the guests.  For dessert, there was fresh fruit and konnyaku jelly.

Ingredients:

1 kg beef sliced (you can also use chicken or pork)

3 tbsp belacan

4 tbsp curry powder

1/2 cup chili paste (or sambal)
1 can coconut milk, 400 ml

5-6 daun limau purut (kaffir lime leaf)

1/2 cup grated coconut, roasted

2 tbsp sugar

Salt

3-4 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1.     Heat stock pot with oil at medium heat.  Add in belacan, chili paste, curry powder and kaffir lime leaves. Fry for 5-10 minutes till fragrant.

2.     Add in meat and coconut milk. Simmer the meat for 20 minutes or until the oil floated on the surface. Add in salt and sugar.

3.     Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the gravy become thickened. Add in grated roasted coconut. Keep stirring to prevent burning.

4.      Remove from heat. Serve with rice.

P.S.  You can also serve the Rendang Beef as part of Nasi Lemak.

        If you are using chicken with bones, you will need to cook longer.

        For vegetarians, you can use straw mushrooms.  Cooking time will

        then be shorter.