ESSENTIAL EATS: Light Years Asian Diner’s (Light Years Byron Bay) Beef Rendang

PART 1: RENDANG PASTE 

Makes approximately 1kg of curry paste

SPICE MIX

15 GR CHILLI FLAKES

10 GR GROUND CARDAMON

10 GR GROUND CUMIN SEEDS

20 GR GROUND CINNAMON

CURRY PASTE 

500 GR ONIONS – SLICED

300 GR CHILLI – SLICED

60 GR GALANGAL FINELY CHOPPED

30 GR TURMERIC – ROUGHLY CHOPPED

160 GR GARLIC – ROUGHLY CHOPPED

120 GR GINGER – SLICED

240 GR LEMONGRASS – FINELY SLICED

500 ML VEGETABLE OIL

Over a high heat, heat the vegetable oil and curry paste ingredients in a thick bottomed sauce pan ensuring everything is coated in the oil and fry until fragrant.

Turn down to a medium heat and add the spice mix.

Let the ingredients cook out over a gentle heat, making sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn or get caught on the pan.

Cook for a minimum of 1 hour or until the oil has separated from the paste and all the ingredients have softened.

Leave to cool, before blending into a smooth paste.

PART 2: BEEF RENDANG

BRAISED BEEF

1 KG WAGYU SHIN OR BEEF CHEEK CUT INTO 3 x 3 CM CHUNKS

BRAISING STOCK (SHOULD YIELD ROUGHLY 1 LTR AFTER BRAISE IS DONE) 

1 LTR COCONUT CREAM

600 ML WATER

100 ML FISH SAUCE

2 STALKS LEMONGRASS BRUISED OR SMASHED

100 GR PALM SUGAR

Season beef with salt and pepper, before searing off in oil in a hot pan

In your pressure cooker add beef along with the braising stock ingredients. Cook for 2.5 hours on the slow cooker setting.

Next, remove the beef from the pot strain the braising stock to use for the curry sauce.

CURRY SAUCE 

500 GR COOKED CURRY PASTE

1 LTR BRAISING LIQUID

FISH SAUCE TO TASTE

Combine the braising liquid with the cooked curry paste in a sauce pan and gently bring to a simmer , give it a whisk every couple of minutes to ensure a smooth curry sauce.

Add beef to the curry and bring simmer for 10 minutes.

Garnish with kaffir lime leaves, coconut cream, Thai basil and chilli.

Enjoy with rice, roti or whatever you have laying around to soak up all that saucy goodness.