Beef Rendang (Daging)

My day started out nicely..
This morning I decided I needed to use those candlenuts that were so lovingly brought to me from Malaysia from a friend who "didn't know what they were used for, but was sure I'd figure it out."  I don't know why candlenuts were specifically on my mind, but I do know I haven't cooked a real meal lately, since I'm either out wandering the world or invited to dinner during these lovely summer days. Lucky for me, the first result of my research was Roti n Rice, a blog that first intrigued me by its name but kept me reading for the fusion of cultures.  Featured was Beef Rendang (or Rendang Daging), a dish often served for special occasions in Malaysia originating from Indonesia.  What drew me to this dish is the blend of spices and different textures of coconut used to enhance it.  There are several layers of pleasure going on here and it needs to be simmered for a long time, which means I could do all the preparations right then when I was feeling it in the morning, then let it simmer in the crockpit, freeing up the kitchen for any other desires that may apprear during the day.

Perfect!
And there is absolutley no way to describe the velvety aroma wafting through my home as the dish simmers to perfection.
Serves 4-5

Ingredients
2 lbs (750g) beef chuck, cubed
3 tbsp canola oil
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
4 cardamom
6 cloves
2 stalks lemongrass (or 1 tbsp dry per stalk)
3/4 cup (180mL) coconut milk
1 Tbsp tamarind pulp
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup desiccated coconut, toasted and pounded in a mortar into kerisik (better to use fresh)
4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced
1 turmeric leaf (sub 1 bay leaf)

To Blend:
2 thai red chilies, seeded
10 dried red chilies, seeded, soaked, and drained (I only used 2)
2 inch galangal, sliced (I used dried that I soaked and drained)
2 inch fresh ginger, sliced
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup water

To dry grind:
3 candlenuts (or macadamia if you can't find these)
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds

Directions
1.  Make the spice paste.  In a spice grinder, grind the ingredients in the "To dry grind" section.  In a food processor, blend the ingredients in the "To Blend" section, then stir in the ground spices.  Set aside.
2.  In a heavy based deep pan or wok, heat the canola oil and add the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves.

Fry about 30 seconds, then add the lemongrass and spice paste.  Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes.  A lovely aroma should start wafting.
3.  Add the beef pieces and stir around to coat well.
4.  At this point, transfer everything to a slow cooker with the coconut milk.  Cook on low for about 7 hours.  The meat should be tender.
For the stove top option, bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for at least 1 hour.
5.  While this is happening, make the kerisik.  Kerisik is a Malay term for toasted coconut that is pounded in a mortar with a pestle to release its essence.  To do this, toast in a dry pan until colored.
6.  At the end of the cooking time, add the kerisik, tamarind, sugar, salt, kaffir lime leaves, and turmeric leaves.  I added some cilantro in the photo but that was before I figured out that an ok substitute for turmeric leaf is bay leaf.
Cover and let cook another hour or until ready to serve.
If doing this stovetop, simmer for another 30 minutes.  The sauce should thicken and make an almost "dry" curry.

I served mine with some red cabbage and rice.

This Beef Rendang was really an art.  I now understand why it is served to special guests.
As it turns out, my special guest lives inside of me, sometimes talks to me, most of the time makes love to me in the kitchen between the tomatoes and fennel seeds..
This time, my day started out nicely, and ended with a home run...

Nasi Goreng Kampung

Things just keep falling from the heavens and into my plate!

I was daydreaming of chicken pot pie today, when Elise sacrificed into my hands some of her Malaysian spice packets to my greatest pleasure.  Nasi Goreng is the national Malaysian dish, composed of rice fried in a lovely spice paste made of anchovies, green chilis, shallots, garlic, ginger, and other vegetables.  The more elaborate versions have prawns and/or meat and vegetables like long beans and spinach.  I can't really compare what I'm doing here tonight with the real thing, but I can say the aroma wafting is really a treat.. especially since I've been off asian cooking for a while.  I want to dive into my sautée pan.

I can't take much credit for the spice mix, since it came in this nice little packet

But I will take credit for the adornments.
Serves 3
Ingredients
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 cube frozen spinach (or handful fresh)
1 packet Nasi Goreng Kampung
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed, then cooked
4 eggs, beaten
garnish:
lime wedges
fried shallots
crushed peanuts
Directions
1.  Heat the oil in a wok and cook the onions until translucent.
2.  Add the carrots, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onions start to brown, then add the spinach.
3.  Add some of the Nasi Goreng and rice.  Stir fry on high for about 6 minutes until the seasoning has coated everything well.
4.  Make a well in the wok and add the beaten eggs.  Stir the eggs with a spatula as you would do scrambled eggs.  When almost cooked, stir everything together.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5.   Serve topped with crushed peanuts, fried shallots, and a mega squeeze of lime.

Thank you Elise (again), you Rock (again)!

This seemingly basic dish had so much flavor it's not "just rice,"
it's a journey...

Kaya Coconut Pie

Before leaving for the holidays, a lovely coworker blessed me with a large can of Kaya from her most recent trip to Malaysia.  I do say "blessed" because it's not something easy to find here in France and it's so incredibly addictingly delicious that it makes me sort of crazy when I think of all the possibilities to use it.

Traditionally, it is spread on toast for breakfast, much like maple butter is in Quebec.  I have to admit it is quite perfect that way, but I can't just stop there.  I must glorify it and make it worth the trip all the way from Malaysia in Elise's luggage with all the other things she must have brought back for herself and her friends.  Last time I made cookies, which I was very happy with.  I recently learned how to make my own pie crust that blows anything you can buy out of the water, so making pie will be the perfect use for this silky coconutty magma.. and I will be able to offer Elise a slice of it to thank her and incite her to continue in her Malaysian treasure retrieval efforts.
Serves 8

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

250g (8.8 oz) flour (half buckwheat, half whole wheat)

100g (3.5 oz) cubed room temperature butter

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp powdered ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg yolk

5 cL (1/4 cup) warm water

Filling:

1 3/4 cups kaya (480g)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk

2 eggs
Garnish:
shredded coconut

Directions

1.  Make the pie crust according to the method.  If you really can't, go buy one.

2.  Pre-cook the crust (if completely raw) for 10 minutes at 200°C (400°F).

3.  Whisk together the filling ingredients and pour into the semi-cooked crust.

aah isn't she lovely?
Sprinkle some shredded coconut over the top before popping it into the oven.

4.  Bake for 10 minutes at 210°C, then 30-40 minutes at 180°C, then let cool before eating.  You want it lightly golden at the top, not brown.  Mine cooked a total of 45 minutes.

I'm very happy with the way this came out.  I probably made about 16 small slices and each slice holds its form well.  The mixture is very coconut, semi-custard, not too sweet, but perfectly dreamy.  Since kaya isn't an ingredient I have on hand, I'll try to make it with adjustments next time.  This is definitely a dessert you can bring when invited somewhere, and I'll probably be making it again in the near future.  The colleagues seemed to like it.. my VIP critic loved it, so that's what makes it all worth it...

*I labeled this Malaysian only because the main ingredient is Kaya, which is typically Malaysian.  I'm not sure making pie is very culturally traditional, however.

Ginger Kaya Cookies

A friend of mine brought me back something magical from Malaysia.

Seri Kaya.

This intriguing caramel custardy texture made from coconut and eggs is translated as coconut jam, but it's really much much more than that.  It is somewhat like asian dulce de leche but with a nice subtle coconut flavor, and it's dairy free.

In Malaysia, they eat it on toast.  I've tried it that way and it is of course delicious. 

But the voice in my head is putting it in the same category as tahini, peanut butter, and condensed milk...which means I absolutely need to make cookies with it.

If there's anything that goes better with coconut than ginger, please let me know because I'm getting ready for a wild wild ride.  I'm not using a recipe, but I'll jot down whatever naturally develops in my brain.
Yield 33 cookies
Ingredients:
190g flour (100g whole wheat + 90g all purpose)
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp powdered ginger
100g cassonade or brown sugar
100g butter
1 beaten egg
1 tsp maple syrup
100g kaya + more for topping
3 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
50g dried coconut
Chopped cashews for topping
Directions:
1.  Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and powdered ginger together and set aside.
2.  Cream the butter with the sugar, then add the egg, maple syrup, kaya, and fresh ginger.
3.  When the mixture is homogenous, add the coconut and incorporate well.
4.  Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.  Refridgerate for 10 minutes to make the dough easier to handle.
5.  Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C.
6.  Scoop tablespoon sized balls onto a cookie sheet.  Be sure to leave enough space between the cookies.

 7.  Make a well with your thumb (or any other finger of your choice) into the center of each cookie.  Add as much kaya as you can into the well.  I was able to get a little over 1/4 tsp into each cookie.
8.  Sprinkle chopped cashews onto the cookies.  I made 3 different visuals.  One with the cashews around the the well, another all over the top, and another with them kneaded into the dough.
9.  Cook for 12-14 minutes and transfer to a wired rack for cooling.

I'm so full of kaya right now.  It's so addicting it draws you toward it and asks you nicely to eat it out of the can with a spoon.  It says "pleaase please taste me."
The cookies are cooling right now so I haven't tasted them yet... I did, however eat a large quantity of the dough and it's delicious gingery goodness.
Oohh!