Recipes and photos are AI created and editorially reviewed. Nutrition figures are estimates.
Slow-cooked dry coconut curry — Indonesia.
Equipment: Large casserole or deep saucepan; blender or food processor
Measures and names
Ingredients
- 800 g stewing beef, cut into 4cm cubes
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 25 g fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 lemongrass stalks, bashed
- 2 tbsp rendang or Thai-style curry paste, check the label for added sugar
- 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk (full fat)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 30 g desiccated coconut (unsweetened shredded coconut), toasted in a dry pan
- 1 tbsp coconut or olive oil
- salt
Method
- Blend the onion, garlic and ginger to a rough paste (or grate them finely).
- Heat the oil in a large casserole over a medium heat. Fry the blended paste and the rendang paste for 3–4 minutes, until fragrant and starting to darken.
- Add the beef and turn to coat, then add the lemongrass, turmeric, cinnamon and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered over a low heat for about 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally — and more often towards the end as the sauce thickens and darkens. True rendang is almost dry, with the beef coated in a rich paste rather than swimming in sauce.
- Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry pan until golden and stir it through.
- Remove the lemongrass and cinnamon, season with salt to taste, and serve with cauliflower rice or steamed greens.
Swaps and tips
The long, slow reduction is the secret — don't rush it. Check the curry paste label: choose one with no added sugar and a short, recognisable ingredients list. Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition estimated, per serving
| Protein | Carbs | Fibre | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 g | 9 g | 3 g | 42 g | 580 kcal |
Values are estimates based on typical UK food composition data and will vary with brands and portion sizes.
Recipes are AI created and editorially reviewed; kitchen testing is ongoing. Made this recipe? .
Recipe from healthshelf.org
