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1
Cook the Rice
20 Mins
Simmering, ~95°C (200°F)
Put the rinsed rice and the water in a pot and stir once. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes. Take the pot off the heat, leave it covered for 5 minutes more, then fluff with a fork.
Do not lift the lid while the rice simmers — the trapped steam is what cooks the top grains.
Done when: Separate, fluffy grains with no liquid left in the pot.
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2
Braise the Rendang
90 Mins
Simmering, ~95°C (200°F)
Heat 20 g of oil in a heavy pot and fry the rendang paste for 5 minutes until fragrant and darkened. Add the beef cubes and stir until coated, then pour in 200 ml of coconut milk, the sugar and 4 g of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 60 minutes. Take the lid off and keep cooking on low heat for about 25 minutes more, stirring often, until the sauce has almost disappeared and the beef is coated in a dark, dry spice paste.
Keep the heat low once the lid comes off — the coconut milk needs time to separate and fry the paste, and high heat will scorch it before the beef is tender.
Done when: Beef that yields easily to a fork, coated in a dark, almost dry paste; the meat should be well past 74°C (165°F) inside.
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3
Simmer the Cassava Leaves
25 Mins
Simmering, ~95°C (200°F)
While the rendang cooks, put the cassava leaves in a pot with 100 ml of coconut milk, 15 ml of lime juice and 2 g of salt. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until the leaves are soft and the milk has thickened around them.
Cassava leaves must be cooked through — never serve them raw or only lightly wilted. Simmer them the full 20 minutes.
Done when: Soft, dark green leaves in a thick, pale green sauce.
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4
Make the Sambal Ijo
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Blend the green chillies, shallots (60 g) and garlic (12 g) with 1 tablespoon of water until coarse. Heat 15 g of oil in a small pan, fry the paste for 5 minutes until it darkens slightly, then stir in 15 ml of lime juice and 2 g of salt and cook for 2 minutes more.
Blend the sambal coarse, not smooth — the little chunks are what make it taste homemade, and the lime juice goes in last so it stays bright.
Done when: A thick, bright green paste that holds its shape on a spoon.
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5
Fry the Kerupuk & Assemble the Plates
5 Mins
Hot oil, ~175°C (350°F)
Fry the prawn crackers in hot oil for a few seconds each until puffed, then drain. Spoon a mound of rice onto each plate, set a portion of rendang beside it, add a spoonful of cassava leaves and a spoonful of sambal ijo, and tuck a cracker on the side. Serve at once.
Put the sambal on the side, not on the rice — everyone seasons their own plate, and the crackers stay crisp.
Done when: Hot rice, tender rendang, and the green sambal within reach.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Eat it the Padang way: a little rice, a little rendang, a little greens and a little sambal in every spoonful, so the rich, hot, sour and crunchy parts all arrive together.
Indonesia
35m
