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Rendang, West Sumatra
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Rendang

West SumatraSumatraMain Dishes

Beef slow-cooked for hours in coconut milk and spices until dark, rich and tender.

Rendang is a traditional Minangkabau dish of beef simmered in coconut milk with chilli, galangal, lemongrass, turmeric leaf and other spices. The liquid is cooked down over many hours until the meat is coated in a dark, caramelised paste.

Its long cooking process let the meat keep for days, which made it the food of travellers and of merantau, the Minangkabau tradition of leaving home to seek fortune. Rendang is served at weddings and ceremonies and has become one of Indonesia's best-known dishes worldwide.

Cultural context

Served at Minangkabau weddings and ceremonies, and tied to merantau — the tradition of leaving home to seek fortune.

Key ingredients

  • Beef
  • Coconut milk
  • Chilli
  • Galangal
  • Lemongrass
  • Turmeric leaf
  • Kaffir lime leaf

Good to know

  • Cooked for 4–8 hours
  • Minangkabau ceremonial dish
  • Coconut milk, chilli, galangal, lemongrass

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