Beef rendang

Ingredients

• 10 dried small chillies, deseeded
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 2 lemongrass sticks, white part only, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 5 candlenuts
• 1cm piece turmeric, peeled
• thumb-size piece ginger, peeled, chopped
• thumb-size piece galangal, peeled, chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¼ cup (60ml) neutral oil (grapeseed, peanut, vegetable)
• 1.2kg beef cheeks, silverskin trimmed, 2cm cubes
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 star anise
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamom pods
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 400ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 40g shredded coconut
• 4 baby cucumbers, halved lengthways and chopped
• ½ cup coriander leaves
• ½ cup mint leaves,
• lime wedges, toasted peanuts, steamed rice, to serve

Directions

1. In a food processor or blender, blend the chillies, shallots, lemongrass, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, ginger, galangal, salt and 2 tbsp of the oil.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy based saucepan on medium-high heat. Cook the curry paste, stirring, for 5 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom, lime leaves and cook for a further 2 minutes.
4. Add the beef to the pot and stir until the beef is covered in the paste, then stir in the coconut milk.
5. Bring to a very low simmer and cook for 2 hours, covered, then a further 30 minutes uncovered, stirring every 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook the coconut in a dry frying pan on medium heat, to toast to a dark golden colour.
7. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and pound it into a paste.
8. Stir coconut paste into beef, along with tamarind and palm sugar. Cook for 5 minutes.
9. Combine cucumbers, coriander, mint and a squeeze of lime in a medium bowl.
10. Serve curry with steamed rice, salad sprinkled with peanuts and extra lime wedges.