(Source photo by https://resepasik.com/2016/05/06/resep-rendang-daging-sapi-padang/ )

Indonesia has hundreds of local ethnicities that offer their own unique traditional cuisines. One of the most well-known is Rendang. This might be the first time you heard about this dish or you want to know more about it. Either way, you have come to the right place. Here are some facts about the dish that got CNN’s readers vote as their number 1 on the list of the World’s 50 best foods in 2017.

Origin and history

Rendang is a traditional spicy meat dish originating from West Sumatra and prepared by the Minangkabau people. Rendang is not a name for a specific dish rather it is a philosophical term that refers to a cooking process that makes beef tender, dry, and flavorful. It is easily found in many Minang restaurants in Indonesia, but you can also find this cuisine in the neighboring South East Asian countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines.

Originally Rendang was only made with buffalo meat, and it was made as reserves or supplies for travelers on their long journey and was only wrapped by a sheet of paper and eaten using hands. This preservation technique was invented as the result of the Minang people who migrated from their homeland and require meals that can last longer for their trip.

Philosophy of Rendang

In the traditional Minang community, Rendang is considered a craft and should be made with high precision. Minang people also believe that there are three philosophical meanings of cooking Rendang: patience, wisdom, and persistence. Wisdom is needed in choosing the right and highest quality spices and meat to achieve the desired taste. Patience and persistence are required while cooking Rendang since it takes quite a long time and requires a steady and constant stirring.

According to a Kompasiana article, Rendang is revered in Minangkabau culture as an embodiment of the philosophy of musyawarah, discussion, and consultation with elders. The main ingredients of Rendang also represent parts of the Minang community as a whole.

Types of rendang

As mentioned before, the process of Rendang can be applied to many other ingredients other than beef or buffalo meat. Nowadays you can find other Rendang variants such as chicken, fish, egg, squid, and shrimp. There are also Rendang that uses other parts of beef as its ingredient including Rendang paru (lungs), Rendang limpa (spleen), and Rendang babat (tripe). Rendang is also divided into two different types based on the type of occasion. As cited from indonesia.travel, the rendang prepared for a special occasion requires one kilogram of whole beef, and the rendang prepared for a daily meal is made out of beef that’s been divided into 20 parts.

Typical composition and cooking method

Rendang is most often described as slow-cooked meat in coconut milk and spices. The name Rendang is derived from the verb "Merandang" which literally means "making Rendang". The word randang itself can be translated as a process of removing water from the ingredients by stirring.

The ingredients of Rendang uses beef, typically the topside or round or rear leg of beef, which is considered perfect for slow cooking. This meat will be cooked along with coconut milk and a mixture of various spices called Pemasak that consist of ginger, galangal, turmeric leaves, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, chillis, and other spices.

Traditional Rendang can take about 7-8 hours to cook which involves pounding and grinding ingredients, slow cooking by boiling, and then stir-frying. This whole process is divided into three stages: gulai, where the coconut milk and spice mixture is still in a liquid form, kalio where the coconut milk becomes thick and oily, and in the third stage kalio is cooked on a low flame until it dries.

Have you ever tried Rendang before? It is certainly a culinary experience that shouldn't be missed. Considering its close location to northern Sumatra, Bintan Island is one of the places where you can find authentically-made Rendang. Bintan Island is accessible via a 60-minute ferry ride from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal Singapore.