CHILLI BEEF RENDANG
Ingredients
- 2 large banana shallots
- roughly chopped
- 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger
- peeled
- roughly chopped
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- tough outer leaves discarded
- core roughly chopped
- 3 lime leaves
- roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
- peeled
- roughly chopped
- 4 long red chillies
- roughly chopped
- 1kg/2lb 4oz stewing beef
- cut into cubes
- 1-2 small dried chillies
- to taste
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 5 cardamom pods
- lightly crushed
- 3 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
- 200ml/7fl oz beef stock
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 limes
- juice only
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- boiled jasmine rice
- to serve
Directions
- Blend the shallots
- ginger
- lemongrass
- lime leaves
- garlic
- red chillies and 5 tablespoons water to a paste in a food processor. Scoop the mixture out into a large bowl and add the beef
- mixing well until the meat is coated in the paste. Cover and set aside to marinate for at least 2 hours
- and preferably overnight in the fridge.
- Put the dried chillies into a bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Set aside for 30 minutes to soften.
- Heat the oil in a casserole over a medium heat. Add the cardamom
- star anise
- cinnamon
- ground cumin and ground coriander and stir the spices into the oil until fragrant.
- Add the marinated beef and stir well to coat it in the spices.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients except the lime juice (and the rice) and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering.
- Drain the dried chillies
- reserving the soaking water
- and chop them finely. Add the chillies and 50ml/2fl oz of the soaking water to the casserole and stir well. Cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours
- or until the beef is tender.
- Remove the lid and stir the curry
- then simmer for a further 15-20 minutes
- or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the lime juice and season
- to taste
- with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve the beef rendang with jasmine rice.

