Malaysian celebs reveal their rendang recipes
Malaysian celebrities reveal their rendang recipes for Hari Raya.
SINGER/actor Datuk Fazley Yaakob is very proud of his family’s rendang recipe, which has been passed down from generation to generation. According to him, his grandmother’s rendang is the best in Negri Sembilan.
“Whenever one of us cooks the rendang, she will taste it and tell us what she thinks, which is quite nerve-racking,” shares Fazley, who won the MasterChef Selebriti Malaysia (Malaysian Celebrity MasterChef) last year.
And what does the grand dame – Khamsiah Hamzah, 85 – say about the rendang her grand-grandson prepares?
“She’s always happy with what I have cooked,” Fazley says with a laugh.
Her recipe uses a lot of shallots, a fair amount of (“it’s spicier than other rendang”) and the ground coconut is fried in oil. Beef liver and spleen are also thrown into the mix.
“We drain the beef of moisture by frying it first. Also, for it to be authentic, it must be cooked on a wood-fire stove.”
For Hari Raya, the family cooks 20kg of beef in Fazley’s backyard – either a day or 12 hours before the Raya morning.
“And the best thing about this rendang is, it gets tastier every time it is heated up.” coat with the spice mixture. Add tamarind water. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the coconut milk and cook until the meat is tender. Add the kerisikisik, salt and brown sugar. If desired, keep cooking until the gravy is dry and the meat turns a medium or dark brown. Remember to keep stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot! Serve hot with rice or toasted baguettes.
FromFrom drabdrab toto dishydishy
CHEF Riz was 10 years old when he first attempted to make his mother’s rendang. At 32, he has collected a variety of rendang recipes from different states but his mother’s recipe – which originates in Malacca – remains his favourite.
“Another favourite rendang of mine is from Negri Sembilan, which also comes from my mother’s side of the family.
“I like to eat rendang,” he says on why he tried his hand at the dish at such an early age. “I like how it’s transformed from an unattractive dish – because it starts out looking pale and watery – and as you cook it, in those two hours, the appearance changes as the spices all come together and you have a dish that smells and tastes good.”
Rendang is a must-have dish whenever there is a family gathering or special occasion, says Chef Riz, whose father is Chef Wan. Since the whole family is made up of good cooks – and we all know what happens when there are too many cooks – who makes the rendang?
“My auntie, my father’s sister. Her rendang is the best.”
Chef Riz’s Rendang
2 chickens, cut into 12 pieces Milk from 6 coconuts ¼ cup kerisik* 1-2 tamarind skins ( asam keping), optional 10 kaffir lime leaves or 1 turmeric leaf Paste (blend together) 10 cili padi 10 dried chillies 10 shallots 10 cloves garlic A thumb-sized piece of ginger A thumb-sized piece of galangal 2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh turmeric 10 stalks lemongrass
Put the paste, coconut two teaspoons of salt, the chicken into a pot be of good quality and base to ensure an even heat so the food doesn’t the fire low.
(Chef Riz likes to skins as he finds that a balance of flavour. mother does not add
Cook for two to from time to time.
(Chef Riz uses old rendang. If using cook the meat for it out and let the almost dry and then chicken to the pot.)
As the gravy thickens, to taste. Add the kaffir
leaf (Chef and leave for three turning off the heat.
* Chef Riz says isik best. To make grated coconut dry pan on low till it turns golden let it burn. Blend kerisik until fine, act as a thickening
Hot and spicy
SINGER/actor Erra Fazira depends mother, Azizah Zaik, to cook rendang finds making this particular dish
The good-natured and beautiful says: “When I was younger I used in the kitchen when she made it, nowadays just buy the ingredients and she cooks
Erra’s mother has three different which she got from friends and a recipe each with its own unique taste. However, always ends up cooking Erra’s favourite.
“I like the one that is a little spicy,” of the rendang, which she describes different from Rendang Tok.
“We only cook rendang once a year, Hari Raya. So sometimes, it turns out
sometimes not so much,” she with a chuckle.
Azizah Zaik’s Rendang
1 chicken, cut into pieces 2 small packets kurma/ spices ¼ cup kerisik 4 cups coconut Salt to taste Gula Melaka 2 stalks lemongrass, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 2 turmeric leaves,