Another one adapted from Sichuan Cookery. Admittedly, the generous use of the sauces make this dish exciting. But it will not be mapo tofu without the black bean sauce and sichuan chili paste so, forget the MSG and enjoy!
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No self respecting fan of Asian cuisine would say no to Rendang. It’s a classic beef curry from West Sumatra and loved by people all over the world. It’s funny. I don’t think of Rendang as special - I appreciate the sauce but not the stringy, dry, and flavourless meat - and prefer other less-known but exotic stuffs such as sambal goreng udang (prawn sambal), ayam pop (chicken boiled in coconut water, lightly fried), or even beef-brain curry, a childhood favourite. But most non-Indonesian friends I know demand Rendang instead.
There are different variations of Rendang: from the dry, black-brown type with stringy meat to the almost-soupy kind with, often, tough cubes. The Chinese makes theirs with pork! My favourite is made of beef, with thick gravy and tender meat with additional hard-boiled eggs to stretch the meal further.
I swear by this recipe (modified to show steps using canned coconut milk) from Lita which I’ve made numerous time to great success. Rendang is actually very easy to make but it takes a long time (and a lot of energy) to achieve that perfect orange-brown colour. The meat and spices are essentially fried gently with oil from the coconut milk. Furthermore, boiling down that much water off the coconut milk to achieve thick gravy is not an easy feat. Once done, however, I am rewarded with economical yet delightful meal for weeks as I simply open my freezer and pop a cube of tender meat and sweet gravy into the microwave.
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Serving: 30 pieces
Prized for its crunchy texture, the Indonesian meatball is famous even in far away land. My maternal grand uncle who lives in Mauritius never failed to have a bowl when he came for visits.
Yet, I grew up hearing stories about how difficult it was to make beef meatballs. Myths about the crunchiness are abound: from the use of extremely fresh and therefore rigid piece of beef to formalin. Yes, that embalming ingredients.
When my friend put up this simple recipe, I just had to try. It was garlicky and tasty but not unnaturally crunchy. I think, considering the unreliable supply of beef meatballs here in town, I’ll make mine from now on.
Thanks Ira!
PS to the Indonesians: The meatballs have the texture of ‘rough’ bakso like ‘bakso urat’ and not the smooth one we’re used to at the street-side eatery.
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There are tons of similar recipes in the internet and I’ve certainly tried the Jamie Oliver’s version but this one is amazing because it yields silky, sweet, yet rich soup. I note three important things in the recipe:
- use butter. Olive oil, in this case, just doesn’t cut it because butter somehow makes the leek sweet.
- do not skip the bouquet garni. Its fragrance adds sophistication to the soup.
- use mealy potatoes to ensure smooth soup.
I eliminate the original use of shallot, onion and garlic as I’m afraid the soup would be too pungent. The book suggests adding green puree of such spicy and sour types such as arugula, watercress and sorrel. I’ll probably try blanching then pureeing the leaves with olive oil and serve it as topping.
Modified from Bouchon
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This soup, introduced by a Malaysian friend who is also a fanatical cook, is a firm favourite. Easily and cheaply made, it creates a deeply satisfying meal for rainy days.
We like the tender, slightly fatty meat which still requires some gnawing to pry them from the bone. The spice mix provides warmth and comfort to the soup. With veggies in it, too, it’s a nutritious one-pot meal!
I normally use pork bones as they’re easier to find here but the original recipe calls for beef ribs or oxtail.
Modified from Homestyle Malay Cooking, courtesy of the said Malaysian friend.
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Savoury
Sweet
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