Since the crispy rendang debacle, Alia has been toying with the idea of developing a version of it. However, when faced with the prospect of having to dispose of a wokful of oil, she decided to go a different route, taking a cue from Sichuan-style dry fried beef. The result is a dish that has chewy-tender beef, and hits all the rendang flavour notes.
Tableware by Ilham Ceramic Studio.
Fried rendang
by Alia Ali
Since the crispy rendang debacle, Alia has been toying with the idea of developing a version of it. However, when faced with the prospect of having to dispose of a wokful of oil, she decided to go a different route, taking a cue from Sichuan-style dry fried beef. The result is a dish that has chewy-tender beef, and hits all the rendang flavour notes.
Tableware by Ilham Ceramic Studio.
Servings: 4
Prep time: Slightly involved
Servings: 4
Prep time: Slightly involved
Ingredients
TUMIS PASTE:
4 shallots/small red onions, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 ½” ginger, peeled
1″ fresh turmeric, peeled
1″ galangal, peeled
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only
6 dried red chillies, destemmed and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
SPICE POWDER:
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 ½ tsp coriander seeds
TO COOK:
4 tbsp cooking oil, plus more as needed
500g beef for stir frying (lean), sliced thinly against the grain (about 1cm thickness)
1 tbsp kerisik
1 medium turmeric leaf, sliced finely into thin shreds
2 makrut lime leaves (daun limau purut), sliced finely into thin shreds
100ml coconut milk (optional)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Directions
- Drain the soaked dried chillies, then grind or blend it with the remaining ingredients for the tumis paste in a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor.
- Toast the spices for the spice powder in a dry pan until warm and aromatic, and only slightly browned. Grind in a spice mill or mortar and pestle.
- Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, pour in about 2 tbsp of cooking oil into the pan and swirl to coat. Add the beef slices in one layer.
- Stir every minute or so for about 10 minutes, making sure to rest the beef between stirs in one layer so it can develop colour. The colour of the beef should be brown and seared. Don’t worry if a lot of the juices run out of the beef, as it will dry up as you continue frying. If the beef looks like it might burn or stick before the 10 minutes is up, add more oil, 1 tsp at a time.
- Once the beef is brown and seared, remove from the pan into a bowl. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add about 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil and turn the flame to medium. As the pan is still hot from frying the beef, it won’t take long to come up to heat. Add the ground tumis paste to the pan and saute until the oil splits from the paste, about 10 minutes.
- Add the ground toasted spices, kerisik, salt and sugar to taste, and stir well. You can also add a bit of water to deglaze the pan if it looks like the tumis might burn.
- Add the shredded turmeric leaf and lime leaves, and coconut milk (if using) to loosen the sauce.
- Return the beef to the pan and stir well to coat the meat evenly. Check for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Serve hot with rice or toast.
Tips
- Add as much or as little coconut milk as you’d like to loosen the sauce, or none at all to keep the dish dry.
Ingredients
TUMIS PASTE:
4 shallots/small red onions, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 ½” ginger, peeled
1″ fresh turmeric, peeled
1″ galangal, peeled
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only
6 dried red chillies, destemmed and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
SPICE POWDER:
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 ½ tsp coriander seeds
TO COOK:
4 tbsp cooking oil, plus more as needed
500g beef for stir frying (lean), sliced thinly against the grain (about 1cm thickness)
1 tbsp kerisik
1 medium turmeric leaf, sliced finely into thin shreds
2 makrut lime leaves (daun limau purut), sliced finely into thin shreds
100ml coconut milk (optional)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Directions
- Drain the soaked dried chillies, then grind or blend it with the remaining ingredients for the tumis paste in a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor.
- Toast the spices for the spice powder in a dry pan until warm and aromatic, and only slightly browned. Grind in a spice mill or mortar and pestle.
- Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, pour in about 2 tbsp of cooking oil into the pan and swirl to coat. Add the beef slices in one layer.
- Stir every minute or so for about 10 minutes, making sure to rest the beef between stirs in one layer so it can develop colour. The colour of the beef should be brown and seared. Don’t worry if a lot of the juices run out of the beef, as it will dry up as you continue frying. If the beef looks like it might burn or stick before the 10 minutes is up, add more oil, 1 tsp at a time.
- Once the beef is brown and seared, remove from the pan into a bowl. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add about 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil and turn the flame to medium. As the pan is still hot from frying the beef, it won’t take long to come up to heat. Add the ground tumis paste to the pan and saute until the oil splits from the paste, about 10 minutes.
- Add the ground toasted spices, kerisik, salt and sugar to taste, and stir well. You can also add a bit of water to deglaze the pan if it looks like the tumis might burn.
- Add the shredded turmeric leaf and lime leaves, and coconut milk (if using) to loosen the sauce.
- Return the beef to the pan and stir well to coat the meat evenly. Check for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Serve hot with rice or toast.
Tips
- Add as much or as little coconut milk as you’d like to loosen the sauce, or none at all to keep the dish dry.
