Beef Rendang (Maranao Version)

Beef Rendang is a dish that I’d love to try cooking a long time ago but I always feel intimidated just by thinking about it. Until one day, I woke up and suddenly decided to make it as a Marano version. 

Maranao is a term for a tribe in the Philippines which means “people of the lake”. These people usually resides in the Mindanao part of the Philippines. I belong to this tribe. However, I couldn’t remember if we made this at home or not. 

Beef Rendang, as far as I know, originated from Indonesia. Although, other neighboring countries have their twist or version, too. 

I’ve mentioned in my several posts before that I don’t know a lot of beef recipes just because I am afraid to try new recipes. I always have this thought of “maybe I’ll overcook the beef”, or “maybe the beef would get chewy”, or “maybe the beef won’t be cooked”. 

Now, do you believe that you meet someone for a reason? Well, I do. So? What does it have to do with Beef Rendang? Just before Ramadan ended, I was chatting with one of my new Instagram friends named Marrah. Long story short – she asked me if I have a Maranao version of Beef Rendang. I told her that I am afraid to try because maybe I can’t make it right. I slept that night without any thoughts of Beef Rendang.

The next day, when I woke up, the first thing that came to mind was to cook Maranao version of Beef Rendang, on that same day. I love how people you haven’t met personally gives you not only ideas, but also encourages you or gives you this spirit to try something new. 

Beef Rendang is not as complicated as I thought. It just needs more preparation of ingredients so it is not something I can put in my weekly or monthly menu. 

Let me tell you the preparations I made…

For the marinade, I used a good cut of beef. I think I got the shoulder part. To the beef, I added a mixture of spices (palapa + fresh turmeric + lemongrass + chili = pounded lightly) and uncooked white rice that has been toasted and grounded. According to this YouTube channel, the toasted and grounded rice helps in the tenderization of beef. So I think you can use other tenderization techniques. 

The toasted and grounded coconut meat (we call it “tiyolo”), is needed to add more coconut-y flavor and it just makes the dish more AMAZING! Making this is not complicated as well – it just takes time because toasting the coconut might take 10-20 minutes, depending on the heat. Also, you have a watch closely while toasting the coconut because it will burn easily.

In this dish, I also recommend using fresh coconut, but canned coconut milk is also okay to use. If you use the canned coconut, you will save yourself from the squeezing of the coconut meat and of course, less dishes to wash – yeheeey!

To cook the Beef Rendang, you can use a regular pot and slow cook it for 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours, or until meat is tender. The marinated beef is cooked with coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves (or bay leaves) until the “sauce” has evaporated. After this, I did the final step of cooking which is to saute the cooked beef in oil with spices and the toasted coconut meat. 

I am telling you, my friends, the long hours and the effort I spent in cooking this Maranao version of Beef Rendang, it is all worth it. Beef Rendang is rich in spices so it came out so flavorful and aromatic. The meat is so tender, it absorbed all the flavors. I completely enjoyed this with cooked Jasmine rice.

I shared a recipe video on my YouTube channel. I really hope you could check it out. Also, please don’t forget to subscribe and leave your comments.

I am bringing this dish to Angie’s Fiesta Friday #330. Thank you to our co-host this week, Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau.

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Beef Rendang (Maranao Version)

The Maranao version of Beef Rendang uses Palapa (a Maranao spice paste). It is so flavorful and aromatic and pairs well with white rice.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes

Servings 4

Author Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook

Ingredients

For the marinade:

• 500 g of beef cut into about 1 inch cubes (use a good cut)
• 1/2 cup palapa or palapa substitute (see notes)
• 1 thumb size fresh turmeric chopped
• 1 red long chili chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped lemongrass white part only
• 1/4 cup uncooked white rice toasted and grounded

Other ingredients:

• 2 cups (500 ml) coconut milk
• 1 cup coconut meat toasted and grounded
• 4 tbsp cooking oil divided
• 3 kaffir lime leaves or bay leaves, or see Google for other substitute
• 2 tbsp of lemongrass white part only, chopped or sliced thinly
• 1-2 red long chili
• Sliced spring onions
• Salt to taste

Instructions

For the marinade:

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the uncooked white rice and cook until toasted. Place the toasted rice in a blender with a milling blade (or a small food processor), turn on the appliance and pulse/blitz until rice is finely grounded. You can use a mortar and pestle to do this, but might take more time from you. Set this aside.
2. Using mortar and pestle (or food processor/blender), add palapa (or palapa substitute), fresh turmeric, lemongrass and chili. Pound everything together. Set this aside.
3. In a bowl, add the pieces of beef, the toasted and grounded rice and the spice mixture. Mix everything and let this marinate while we prepare the other ingredients.

For the other ingredients:

1. In a skillet over medium high heat, add coconut meat and cook until toasted, while stirring frequently. This might take 10-20 minutes. Make sure to watch it closely as the coconut meat burns easily. When the coconut is toasted, add the this a food processor or a blender with the milling blade. Turn on the appliance and ground finely. Set this aside.

To cook the Beef Rendang,

1. In a pot over medium-high heat, add about 2 tbsp of oil. Add the marinated pieces of beef and give it a good mix. Cover the pot for about 20 minutes, making sure to check and stir in between. You may notice that burnt spices, it’s okay as long as it doesn’t smell bad.
2. Now, it’s time to add the coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. You can use bay leaves, according to Google, if you don’t have kaffir lime leaves. Cover the pot again and simmer over low heat for 1 & 1/2 hours to 2 hours or until meat is tender. Make sure to check and stir from time to time to prevent the meat from burning.
3. When the meat is cooked, heat another skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the skillet and saute lemongrass, spring onions and chili – cook them for about 1 minute. Add the toasted coconut and zest of 1-2 limes. You can now add the cooked meat and cook for a few minutes. Don’t forget to add salt.
4. To serve, transfer the Beef Rendang to a plate. Garnish with more spring onions and chili. Serve with white rice.

Recipe Notes

For the palapa substitute: 1/2 cup of sliced spring onions (white part only) + 1 tbsp chopped ginger + chili = pounded to a paste 

Thanks a bunch for spending your precious time with me!

I am also sharing this at

Full Plate Thursday,487 | Happiness is Homemade | #CookBlogShare 2020 week 26 | What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link up #259 | Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party #344 |

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