Rendang Sapi (Authentic Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)

Rendang Sapi is a delicious and authentic Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew – slow cooked and braised in a fragrant blend of coconut milk and rich spice mixture. The result? An incredibly flavorful and tender beef stew, perfectly caramelized and infused with fragrant spices.

Recreating Indonesian Classics!

Hey there, welcome! If you’ve read some of my recent posts, you know that I’ve been on a mission to recreate some of my favorite Indonesian dishes and snacks. Why? Quite frankly, ever since I moved to Kansas a year ago, I haven’t been able to buy authentic Indonesian dishes here. So of course, I turned to my kitchen and learned to make my own!

Last month, I shared with you my perfected Balinese Milk Tarts (Pie Susu) recipe – to an outstanding response from you guys! It’s so encouraging to hear that so many of you love pie susu as much as I do! (:

Then I shared my Indonesian Tempeh Rice Bowl recipe. After this post, so many of you have reached out to me for more ethnic recipes. So today, I’ll be showing you how to make an authentic (and highly-requested) Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew, aka Rendang Sapi. And speaking from experience, I can tell you that this dish is so full of flavor, you’ll be sure to impress your dinner guests!

What is Rendang Sapi?

Before we start, let me give you a quick context into this rich and flavor-packed dish. Rendang is a classic dish of Southeast Asian cuisine. While there are countless variations to this dish, Rendang is originally an  Indonesian spicy meat stew that came from the Minangkabau region in West Sumatra.

Another interesting point is Rendang can be made with any cuts of meat, or even vegan substitutes! That said, rendang is most commonly made with beef, slow cooked and braised in a fragrant blend of coconut milk and rich spice mixture. The result? An incredibly flavorful and tender beef stew, perfectly caramelized and infused with fragrant spices.

Original recipes for rendang call for the mixture to be simmered for 5-6 hours. While this is still the preferred method of cooking in many Indonesian restaurants, I’ll be showing you a shorter version (1 hour and 40 minutes!) that don’t sacrifice on the rich flavor and tender texture.

A Few Fun Facts About Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)

– CNN International hosted an online poll of 35,000 people to rank their “World’s 50 best foods.” Rendang topped the list at No. 1 of the “readers’ picks” list!

– Originally, rendang sapi was only served for special occasions. Now, however, it is a popular dish that can be found in many Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and of course, Indonesia.

– Indonesia’s Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya, recognizes rendang as one of Indonesia’s 5 national dishes. The other four dishes include soto (soup), nasi goreng (fried rice), satay (kebabs), and gado-gado (vegetables with peanut sauce).

Ingredients to Make Authentic Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)

• 2 lbs boneless beef short ribs
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 stick cinnamon
• ½ onion, chopped
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• ¼ tsp ground star anise
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3 tbsp lemongrass paste
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 3 tsp tamarind paste
• 5 tbsp toasted coconut flakes
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tsp chili paste, adjust as needed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp lime juice, for serving
• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice , for serving
• chopped scallions (optional)

How to Make Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)

1. Heat olive oil oil in a large pot. Add the onions, garlic, shallots, ginger paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, turmeric, and cardamom. Stir until fragrant and onions are transluscent.
2. Add in the beef, lemongrass paste, and chili paste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the coconut milk, water, tamarind paste. Stir for 5 minutes. Then add the toasted coconut flakes, salt, pepper, and palm sugar. Give it a good stir, then cover. Simmer on medium heat for 90 minutes, or until meat is very tender and sauce has reduced.
3. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with a squirt of lime juice and sprinkle with chopped scallions (optional). ENJOY!

Cuts of Meat and Vegan Substitutions for Rendang

• If slow-cooking the beef for 5-6 hours, use chuck beef. If cooking for shorter time as in this recipe, use boneless short ribs.
• Beef can also be substituted with chicken, lamb, turkey, buffalo, or duck. Alternatively, you can substitute with jackfruit, tempeh, or other vegan meat substitutes. Keep in mind that cooking time will vary depending on your protein substitution.

Looking for More Easy Ethnic Recipes?

• Chinese Pork Dumplings (With Pictures!)
• Better-Than-Takeout Shrimp Fried Rice (GF, DF)
• Easy Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice Bowl)
• Indonesian Tempeh Rice Bowl (GF, DF, V)
• Ribeye Steak with Egg Noodles Puttanesca
• Easy Chicken Curry (GF, DF)
• Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Shrimp & Vegan Options)
• Quick Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Quiejo)
• Sambal Aioli (Hot Chili Aioli) Dipping Sauce

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If you make this Authentic Rendang Sapi recipe, please drop a comment below! I’d LOVE to know what you think! Or take a picture and share it on Instagram by tagging @dwellbymichelle!

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