So, be patient for the perfect colour and texture of the curry to emerge. It also takes at least 2 hours 30 minutes (portion for 4-6 persons) for the coconut milk to begin caramelizing. Cooking for a long time ensures that any excess liquid will be evaporated. The initial intention when making rendang was to prepare a dish that would keep for a long period without the help of refrigerators. Why does it take so long to cook rendang? It is usually added to dishes and stewed for hours for all the ingredients to release their optimum flavours.

Kerisik is made of grated coconut which has been toasted until golden brown before being pounded until its oil is released. Besides that, the aroma from the spices and the nutty flavour of ‘ kerisik’ which is also known as coconut butter make the dish stands out from the other types of curries. The sensation of smell and taste of rendang is simply divine. The mixture of spices blend in harmoniously giving it a touch of heat that comes through subtly when eaten. Instead, it is thick and has a texture almost like soft butter. Rendang does not tastes like the red curries from Thailand or India.

Traditionally, it takes between 8 hours to 3 days to cook rendang! Some suggested that the correct name for the dish should be the latter instead of what it is known today. This clearly refers to the cooking process which takes a long time. The name ‘rendang’ came from the Sumatran word ‘randang’ which means slowly.

With the migration of Minangkabau immigrants to its neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, it was then introduced to other neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. Rendang originates from the Minangkabau ethnic from West Sumatra. Now that we know rendang is the king of curries and tastes extremely delicious, it is important to understand the dish and the tips to achieve the best result. It's usually served for weddings, religious celebrations and coronation ceremonies. The complexity of the dish and the details that come along with it made rendang an exclusive dish. It's so tasty that it was voted as the most delicious food in the world based on 35,000 votes in a survey carried out by CNN. Made with a selection of 10 different types of spices such as chillies, turmeric, lemongrass and galangal, it easily stands out for its awesome flavour which develops over the long and slow cooking process.

Rendang cookpad