Lamb Rendang

This is supposed to be made with beef, but I didn’t have anything other than lamb in the fridge. Well, there was some chicken, but it was beyond scabby so I opted to chuck it away and use the lamb instead.

This is a Indonesian classic and is really flavoursome and great if, like me you have a cold and need some spice to sweat it out of you. There are a lot of ingredients I admit, but you’ll want to make this again, so at least you’ll have them all to hand.

INGREDIENTS:
2 onions (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced galangal (use another teaspoon of ginger if you don’t have it)
5 red chillies (de seeded and chopped)
1 lemongrass stalk (lower part only, thinly sliced)
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable)

1kg lamb cut into large chunks
1 teaspoon corriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 lime leaves (chopped) or zest of 1 lime
2 400ml cans of coconut milk
300ml water
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
4 medium potatoes (peeled and diced into 3cm dices)
1/2 lemon (juice of)
salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor, blend onions, garlic, ginger, galangal, chillies, lemon grass and turmeric into a smooth paste.

Place the meat in a separate bowl and sprinkle over the cumin, corriander and some salt & pepper – set aside.
In a large pan, heat the oil then fry the onion paste for 4-5 minutes until it changed colour. Add the lime leaves or zest, then the meat then the sugar. Fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Now add the coconut milk, the soy sauce and the water. Bring this liquid to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently with the lid off for 1 1/2 hours. The liquid should have reduced considerably. Add the potatoes and cook for another 25 minutes until they are tender. Squeeze over the juice of 1/2 a lemon at the end and stir in.

SERVING:
Plain basmati rice.