This Indonesian Beef Rendang features complex flavors with lemongrass, lime leaves, and spices like cinnamon, clove, and turmeric. The dish is slow-cooked with tender beef chuck, creating a rich and peppery sauce, served over jasmine rice.
1: Preheat oven to 275°.
2: In a blender add cloves, nutmeg, chiles, shallots, nuts, garlic, turmeric, ginger, galangal, sugar, coconut milk, and tamarind and puree until smooth.
3: In a skillet, add the meat, pour the puree over the meat, add the lime leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, and a tsp. of salt, then bring to a boil on the stove.
4: Transfer the skillet to the oven and set the timer for 4 hours.
5: Check on the meat every hour, stirring the liquid to prevent a crust from forming.
6: After 4 hours, check the meat; it should be tender and easily pull apart with 2 forks. If not, turn the oven to 300° and leave it in longer.
7: The liquid should have reduced significantly, creating a crust on the beef and a thick paste-like sauce.
8: Discard whole spices, garnish with thinly sliced lime leaves and more toasted coconut, then serve over jasmine rice.
