Rendang Minangkabau: One of the World’s Best Foods
History of Rendang and Its Philosophical Meaning
Rendang is not actually a name for a dish. It's basically a
philosophical term that refers to a special process, which makes beef tender,
dry, and flavorful. The complex cooking process gives rendang a very unique and
delicious taste. And that is why, on 12 July 2017, CNN’s readers voted it as
number 1 on the list of the World’s 50 best foods. On 9 April 2018, Indonesia’s
Ministry of Tourism chose rendang as a national dish, along with soto, nasi
goreng, sate, and gado-gado.
Originally, Rendang was made out of buffalo meat and was
only served on special occasions or traditional ceremonies. In the past,
Rendang was considered a sacred dish. In Rendang Traveler: Minyangkap
Bertuahnya Rendang Minang (2012), written by Reno Adam Suri, rendang was
referred to as "Kepalo Samba" or the head of the dishes at
Minangkabau traditional events.
The tradition of preserving meat has been followed by the
people of Minangkabau for a long time. They used to preserve meat in a
conventional way, without using chemicals. People in Minangkabau believe that
cooking rendang teaches three important values: patience, discretion, and
perseverance.
Many Minang people migrated; as a result, they introduced
their local food to new people and new places. Yes, Minang people usually carry
rendang as a go-to packed meal because of its durability. It has a shelf life
of one month. Nowadays, rendang is not only served at custom events but is a
part of everyday meals.
Types of Rendang
There are many types of rendang. Beef rendang is the
best-known variety of rendang and can be found easily. The other kinds of
rendang are made with chicken, fish, egg, squid, and shrimp. Beef rendang has
its own varieties such as rendang paru, rendang limpa, and rendang
babat. Based on the type of occasion, rendang is classified into two
categories; the rendang prepared for a special occasion requires one kilogram
of whole beef and the rendang prepared for a daily meal is made out of beef
that’s been divided into 20 parts.
The Process of Making Rendang
It takes 7-8 hours’ time and three important stages to cook
rendang. The first stage is gulai in which the coconut milk is
still in liquid form. The second stage is kalio in which the
coconut milk thickens and becomes oily. This usually requires 4 hours of
cooking. In the third stage, kalio is cooked on a low flame
till it dries and becomes rendang.
Rendang Recipe by William Wongso
On an exciting episode of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted,
Ramsay was challenged by William Wongso to cook rendang. The recipe used by
them, when they cooked rendang in West Sumatra, is included in Cita
Rasa Indonesia: Ekspresi Kuliner William Wongso. Here’s the recipe for you
to try at home.
Ingredients:
500g beef, cut into 5x5 cm chunks
1 turmeric leaf (or 2 Indonesian bay leaves)
15g tamarind
750 ml coconut milk containing 24% fat
2 stalks of lemongrass
4 lime leaves
Spices:
120g onions, chopped
20g garlic, chopped
125g chili, chopped and deseeded
10g ginger, chopped
30g galangal, chopped
20g candlenut, pureed
How to Cook Rendang:
1. Pulse all the spices in a blender. Add lime leaves,
lemongrass, and tamarind.
2. Add coconut milk. Stir fry till it becomes oily and turns
brown.
3. Add the beef and stir.
4. Preheat the oven at 120°. Put all the ingredients in a
bowl and cook them in the oven.
5. Cook for about 1.5 to 2 hours so that the beef becomes
tender
6. Shift the beef into a pan. Cook on a low flame and keep
stirring till the color changes to dark brown and the beef becomes ultra-tender
Cooking Tips from William Wongso
Along with the recipe, William Wongso shares some tips on
how to make rendang more delightful. Check them out.
1 | Choose the best beef for rendang. Beef with less muscle
will have a soft texture.
2 | Irradiated meat or calf cow meat is best to make
rendang. It has high collagen content which makes the meat tender.
3 | If you choose tenderloin, you do not need to cook it for
a long time because it is lean and soft.
4 | All types of meats can be used to cook rendang. You only
need to adjust the cooking duration.
5 | Make sure you use all the spices and ingredients as
instructed. Do not skip any one of them.
6 | It is better to use thick coconut milk and do not add
water to make it savory.
7 | If you choose calf cow meat, you’ll need to cook for a
longer time. It takes about 9 hours for all the spices to get well-absorbed.
8 | If you use the common beef that you get from the
supermarket, it will take a shorter time, i.e. only around 4 hours, to
cook
9 | Let the color of the ingredients turn dark to ensure
that everything’s well-cooked.
10 | To get an authentic taste, cook the rendang on
firewood.
Rendang takes a long time to cook, about 7 to 8 hours, but
it is worth the effort. Eat rendang with warm rice to spoil your tummy and
tongue. It tastes perfect!
source: https://www.indonesia.travel/in/en/trip-ideas/rendang-minangkabau-one-of-the-world-s-best-food-s
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