"Eight hours of simmering until every drop of coconut milk evaporates and the beef caramelises in its own oil. This is the world's most patiently cooked dish — and possibly its most delicious."
About Rendang
Possibly the world's most complex dry-curry — beef simmered for up to eight hours in coconut milk with galangal, lemongrass, turmeric leaf, kaffir lime and a paste of fresh chillies until all the liquid evaporates and the beef caramelises in its own rendered coconut oils; voted the world's most delicious food in multiple CNN polls; the patience required is the point.
Rendang — a staple of Indonesia's cuisine
Beef simmered for up to eight hours in coconut milk with galangal, lemongrass, turmeric leaf, kaffir lime and a paste of fresh chillies until all liquid evaporates and the beef caramelises in its own rendered coconut oils. The patience required is literal — the cook cannot leave the pot. The result has been voted the world's most delicious food in CNN polls more than once.
Padang-style rendang from West Sumatra is the original and most complex version — the spice paste alone contains 12 to 15 ingredients ground fresh each time.
What to Expect
The rendang arrives almost dry — the beef dark, each piece coated in a concentrated layer of spice and oil. The first bite is intensely savoury, the coconut oil rich, the chilli heat building.
Why Try It
Rendang demonstrates what patience in cooking actually means — the flavour development that occurs in the final hour of a very long cook is what separates rendang from curry.
Insider Tips
Order it in Padang restaurants (Rumah Makan Padang) — the West Sumatran original is the benchmark.
The dry rendang (fully caramelised) is more traditional than the wet version (sauce remaining).
Fresh-cooked rendang is always better than reheated — it improves the first day and begins to decline after three.
