Lamb rendang

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed to around 12 cm in length and bruised
• 5 makrut lime leaves, plus 1 extra to serve
• 2 kg untrimmed boneless lamb leg or shoulder, cut into 5 cm pieces with still quite a bit of fat on it
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 400 ml coconut cream
• 500 ml water
• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• cooked rice, to serve

Spice paste

• 2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large red chillies, seeds and stalk removed (optional)
• 5 cm x 3 cm piece galangal, peeled
• 5 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, peeled
• 4 cm x 3 cm piece turmeric, peeled
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste), or 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1-2 tbsp water, or as necessary

Instructions

1. For the spice paste, combine the onions, chillies, galangal, ginger, turmeric, garlic and belacan (or fish sauce) in a blender and blend to a paste. You can add a bit of water to the blender if you need to.
2. Heat a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and add the oil and paste. Cover the pot to stop it spitting but leave it open a crack to allow steam to escape. Fry the spice paste for about 10-15 minutes until the paste (rempah) is dry and starting to brown, stirring frequently to stop it from sticking to the pot. Add the cinnamon, star anise, lemongrass and 5 whole makrut lime leaves and mix well, then add the lamb and mix well. Add the salt, sugar and coconut cream, plus about 500 ml of water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
3. While the rendang is cooking, toast the coconut in a dry frying pan, stirring constantly until it is hazelnut brown. Watch it carefully as it can burn easily. Set aside to cool. Finely shred the remaining lime leaf.
4. Uncover the rendang and stir through the toasted coconut, then simmer for an additional 45 minutes until the mixture is oily and a little dry, and the lamb is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as required, then scatter with the shredded lime leaf. Serve with rice.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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