Beef Rendang

This classic Asian dish is great for a cold winter's night.

It's filled with chi that's bound to warm you through and through.

It's quite hot and dry but the addition of the coconut milk

cools it and makes it more scrumptious.

Ingredients:

1 stalk of lemongrass, roughly chopped

20g Coriander seeds

5ml ground cumin

2ml turmeric powder

50g block coconut cream

1 large white onion sliced

1 small red onion sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed with a pinch of salt

2-3 long red chillies, chopped

2 inch piece of root ginger, peeled and sliced into matchstick pieces

1-2 bay leaves

750g boneless beef shin, cut into 1 inch cubes

400g can coconut milk

250ml beef stock, heated

Method:

Pound the lemongrass using a pestle and mortar until it becomes a pulp. Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the coriander, cumin and turmeric and dry roast until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind as smooth as possible. Set aside.

In a large casserole pan or heavy wok, on a low heat, melt the coconut cream. Do not let it get too hot or burn.

Add the onions, garlic, ginger and lemongrass to the pan and fry gently until the onions are soft and the fragrance is warmly released.

Add the remaining ground spices and the bay leaves and fry for a minute or two.

Add the meat, increasing the heat a little and brown the meat. Stir to coat and seal the meat with the spices.

Add the coconut milk and hot stock. Stir and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 60-90 minutes, stirring from time to time. The sauce will thicken and must coat the meat well.

Serve with sticky rice.