Rendang: Difference between revisions

In Minangkabau, rendang comes from the word "marandang", which means cooking food slowly until the food becomes dry. The [[Minangkabau people]] brought rendang as a provision because of its ability to last a long time when moving to other regions.

Rendang is most often described as meat [[slow-cooked]] in coconut milk and spices until it becomes tender. If cooked properly, dry rendang can last for as long as four weeks. Prior to [[refrigeration]] technology, this style of cooking enabled preservation of large amounts of meat in the tropical climate, and therefore became a popular cooking technique. Its durability is one of the reasons that today, prepackaged rendang is sent as food aid relief for natural disaster survivors in Indonesia. The preferred [[cut of beef]] for rendang is lean meat of the rear leg; i.e. topside or [[Round steak|round]] beef, which is considered perfect for slow cooking.

Rendang is often served with [[steamed rice]], ''[[ketupat]]'' (a compressed rice cake) or ''[[lemang]]'' (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo tubes), accompanied with vegetable side dishes such as boiled [[cassava]] leaf, ''cubadak'' (young [[jackfruit]] ''[[gulai]]''), [[cabbage]] ''gulai'' and ''lado'' (red or green chilli pepper [[sambal]]).

Azizah Ja'afar describes the cooking process of ''rendang'' (merendang) as involves simmering the meat in spiced coconut milk in an uncovered pot or pan until the coconut milk’s oil separates and coats the meat, giving it a rich, glossy finish. With a slow fire and constant stirring, it takes around three hours for five kilograms of meat to reduce from a broth (when all the ingredients come together in a wok). From there, it requires an additional two hours before reaching the traditional rendang consistency.

|+ '''Three stages of ''merendang'' cooking'''

In Perak, rendang is deeply rooted in royal culinary traditions. Notable varieties include ''rendang tok'', ''rendang ayam'' (chicken rendang), and ''rendang udang'' (shrimp rendang). ''Rendang tok'', a specialty from Bukit Chandan, is a dry curry made with cubed beef, coconut milk, and a rich blend of spices such as cloves, star anise, cumin, cinnamon, chilies, and turmeric. It is enhanced with pan-toasted desiccated coconut and thin strips of coconut flesh, giving it a unique texture and aroma. The final dish is dark and intensely flavorful. Perak’s rendang recipes also incorporate unique ingredients like forest fruits, including ''kelepong'' (a seasonal plant from the fig family). In Lenggong, popular rendang varieties include ''rendang [[dendeng]]'', and ''rendang pedas daging dengan lambuk'' (spicy beef with ''lambuk'' yam rendang). There is also ''rendang daging masak hitam'' that is commonly served at Malay weddings. This version stands out from other rendang dishes in the region because it’s made without coconut milk, giving it a distinct flavor and appearance.

Negeri Sembilan is known for two main types of rendang: ''rendang kuning'' (yellow rendang) and ''rendang hitam'' (black rendang). Both are cooked until completely dry. ''Rendang kuning'' shares ingredients with the region’s signature dish, ''[[Masak lemak lada api|gulai kuning]]'', such as ''[[Bird's eye chili|cili api]]'', turmeric, and coconut milk. In Negeri Sembilan, beef is less commonly used due to its higher water content, which makes it harder to achieve the desired dryness. A traditional recipe also features ''pucuk ubi'' (young tapioca leaves), cooked until the mixture is dry and the leaves turn a deep brown color. ''Rendang daun puding'' is a type of ''rendang kuning'' that incorporates ''daun puding'' while ''rendang kacang'' includes chicken organs and long beans for added flavor and texture. In Tebing Tinggi, Bintong, Perlis, there's a unique dish called ''rendang serai'', where the main ingredient is thinly sliced lemongrass. It's cooked with a blend of ingredients like ''belimbing buluh'' (a sour local fruit), coconut milk, kurma spices, onions, and either fresh or dried prawns.

In Malacca, a fiery version called ''rendang cili api'', made with bird’s eye chilies, coconut milk, and spices, often features unique ingredients like cockles ''(rendang kerang)''. In Johor, the traditional ''rendang asli'' includes bird’s eye chilies and thick soy sauce for a distinctive flavor profile. Basmah, a dish popular in Penang and Kedah, closely resembles rendang as it also uses coconut milk and toasted coconut gratings. However, it stands out for its use of a greater variety of fresh spices. In Terengganu and Kelantan, a dish called kerutuk is made from meat mixed with spices and cooked until thick, also said to resemble rendang. The Kristang also has their version of dry beef curry.