Indonesian Pressure-Cooked Beef Rendang with Seasonal Vegetables
A hearty and aromatic Indonesian classic, this pressure-cooked beef rendang uses tender beef slowly infused with rich coconut milk and traditional spices. Served alongside a medley of seasonal steamed vegetables to balance the richness, making it perfect for a comforting weeknight meal.
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Overview
Beef Rendang is an iconic Indonesian dish known for its deep, rich flavors created by slow cooking beef in coconut milk and a complex blend of spices. Using a pressure cooker significantly reduces the cooking time while still achieving tender, flavorful meat. Paired with steamed seasonal vegetables, this dish offers a balanced and comforting meal suitable for any weeknight.
Why you’ll love it
- Speed: Pressure cooking cuts down the traditional hours of cooking to under an hour without sacrificing flavor.
- Flavorful: The spice paste infuses every bite with authentic Indonesian warmth and aroma.
- Balanced: Serving it with fresh steamed seasonal vegetables lightens the richness and adds nutrition.
- Flexible: Easily adapted for varying vegetable choices depending on the season or availability.
Ingredient notes
The key to authentic rendang is the spice paste — a blend of shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, galangal, and chilies. Fresh spices provide the best aroma, but dried and powdered spices can be used if necessary. Coconut milk should be full fat for the richest sauce. Choose beef chuck or brisket for tenderness after pressure cooking. For the vegetables, select firm, colorful options like carrots, green beans, and baby corn.
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Serving & storage
Serve the beef rendang hot over steamed jasmine rice or your preferred grain. Place the steamed vegetables on the side to provide freshness and texture contrast. Leftovers can be cooled quickly and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave until steaming hot. For extended storage, freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Chef tips
- Use fresh spices whenever possible to maximize flavor.
- If a pressure cooker is not available, simmer the rendang gently for 2 to 3 hours until beef is tender.
- Ensure the beef is cut into similar-sized cubes for even cooking.
- Adjust the chili quantity to control spiciness according to your preference.
- Cool leftovers within 2 hours of cooking to maintain food safety.
Ingredients
- 800 g (1.75 lbs) beef chuck, cut into 4 cm cubesbeef chuck
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) coconut milk, full fatcoconut milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oilvegetable oil
- 6 shallots, peeledshallots
- 4 cloves garlic, peeledgarlic cloves
- 2 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and choppedfresh ginger
- 2 cm piece fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)fresh turmeric or ground turmeric
- 2 cm piece fresh galangal, peeled and choppedfresh galangal
- 3 dried red chilies, soaked to softendried red chilies
- 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely slicedlemongrass stalk
- 2 kaffir lime leaveskaffir lime leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 5 cm)cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushedcardamom pods
- 1 tsp ground corianderground coriander
- 1 tbsp tamarind pastetamarind paste
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugarpalm sugar or brown sugar
- Salt to tastesalt
- 200 g (7 oz) seasonal vegetables (e.g., carrots, green beans, baby corn), trimmed and cutseasonal vegetables
- Water as neededwater
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Equipment
- pressure cooker
- blender or food processor
- steaming basket or steamer
- knife
- cutting board
- wooden spoon
Nutrition per serving
- Calories620
- Protein45 g
- Carbs15 g
- Fat35 g
Step-by-step
Step 1
Prepare the spice paste by placing shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, galangal, and softened dried chilies in a blender or food processor. Blend into a smooth paste adding a little water if needed to help blend.Step 2
Heat the vegetable oil in the pressure cooker over medium heat. Add the spice paste and sauté for about 5 minutes until fragrant and the oil begins to separate from the paste.Step 3
Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and ground coriander to the cooker. Stir for 1 minute to release their aromas.Step 4
Add the beef cubes to the pressure cooker and stir to coat them evenly with the spice paste.Step 5
Pour in the coconut milk, tamarind paste, and sugar. Stir well to combine. Add a little water if the liquid does not cover the beef completely (about 100-150 ml). Season with salt to taste.Step 6
Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and set to high pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Cook for 35 minutes.Step 7
Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure manually. Remove the lid.Step 8
Remove the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer the rendang uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to thicken the sauce if needed, stirring occasionally.Step 9
Meanwhile, steam the seasonal vegetables in a steaming basket over boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes until crisp-tender.Step 10
Serve the beef rendang hot with the steamed seasonal vegetables on the side.
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