Western Sumatran Rendang

Deeply flavoured with lemongrass, onion, and ginger, this coconut-rich rendang freezes brilliantly. Even better after a day or two, it’s perfect for sharing with friends – plant-based or otherwise.

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Photographed truthfully. If you cook it, yours will look like mine.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 18

Total Time 38

Course Dinner, Main

Cuisine Drawn from Asian Flavours

Servings servings

Calories/Seving 520 kcal

Ingredients

Ingredients for the paste

180 g brown onion | unpeeled weight
2 lemongrass stalks I if your packet has 3 stalks, use them all
20 g fresh ginger | unpeeled weight
50 ml water

Ingredients for the veggies and spices

200 g squash | peeled weight
180 g red onion | unpeeled weight
4 cloves fresh garlic | chopped
60 ml olive oil
1 pinch salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
water | to loosen spices
10 ml olive oli
1 pinch salt

Other sauce ingredients

22 g soft dark brown sugar
15 ml lemon juice
15 g tamarind paste
400 ml coconut milk | full fat
2½ ml gravy browning
200 g chickpeas | drained weight
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

To serve

rice
fresh coriander | neatly chopped to scatter across the dish; or parsley
lemon | wedges

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Instructions

Prepare the paste

Peel and rough chop the paste ingredients, add to a food processor and blend 8-10 minutes minimum.
180 g brown onion, 2 lemongrass stalks, 20 g fresh ginger, 50 ml water

Check the paste is smooth enough

Have a good look at the paste. Keep blending until it really is super smooth. It makes such a difference to the dish.

Prepare the veggies

Wash the squash and large dice chop into chunks; peel and chop the red onions into 2-3 cm petals; peel and chop the garlic.
200 g squash, 180 g red onion, 4 cloves fresh garlic

Cook onion, garlic and spices

Cook the red onion and garlic in some oil, adding a pinch of salt to prevent burning; mix the spices, add to the pan and gently cook, loosening with water to facilitate mixing. The spices are being woken up by cooking them this way.
60 ml olive oil, 1 pinch salt, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp chilli flakes, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, water

Cook squash

Cook the squash chunks in a fry pan with some oil, adding a pinch of salt to prevent burning. Add a lid to the pan to create some steam so you toast and caramelise the outside of the chunks, and use the steam to cook the insides of the chunks. But watch out! You want some bite in the chunks so be careful not to overcook. Keep prodding with a knife and err on the side of underdone given that the squash chunks will be added to a sauce and heated through in the sauce.
10 ml olive oli, 1 pinch salt

Make the sauce

Add the paste to the red onion petals and garlic pan and cook through; you need to cook the paste properly. Keep it all on a low heat and cook it. You'll see it changing colour and looking cooked. You'll smell it! Add the sugar and let it melt. Sir it around. Add the lemon juice and tamarind paste, and stir. Be really happy with this rich mix before adding the coconut milk. When you are really happy, add the coconut milk and stir through.
22 g soft dark brown sugar, 15 ml lemon juice, 15 g tamarind paste, 400 ml coconut milk

Finesse the sauce

Stir the sauce, let it bubble gently, enjoy seeing it thicken and coming together. Add the gravy browning slowly until you think it's rich-looking-enough! Taste it and adjust the salt and pepper if you like. Add the squash and chickpeas and stir through.
2½ ml gravy browning, 200 g chickpeas, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper

To serve

Serve with rice, scatter coriander across the top and put a lemon wedge on the side.
rice, lemon, fresh coriander

Notes

Multi-purpose: serve as a main or side; to make into soup, add 200ml of stock. You might need more, depending on how thick you like your soup. If you add too much water, just simmer with the lid off; the water will soon leave! Or if you like it watery but not thin, add one or two teaspoons of cornflour diluted with a little water. Adding water will reduce the flavour from any herbs or spices added to the dish. Don’t forget this! There’s no rule against adding the herbs and spices again in the same ratios. I will always do that if I add water.
Freezer-friendly: allow to cool, put into a container with a tight lid, and freeze. Freezing will intensify the flavour. I would add the squash and chickpeas on the day of service.
Make-ahead: make the sauce and freeze. Prep and cook the squash, and hold in a tub in the fridge to add to the defrosted sauce.
Any remaining herb, chop up and put into storage boxes and pop into the fridge. I find supermarket herbs prepped and stored this way last a fair few days.
Sweet potato can be used instead of squash but it's not as good texturally and cooks very quickly in a fry pan so if you do use it, take care!
Other veggies can be used instead of squash but it won't be the same - you need the sweetness of the squash.
Add 2 inches of cinnamon stick if using sticks not ground cinnamon.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 9gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 641mgPotassium: 781mgFiber: 8gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 5384IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 7mg

Nutritional values are estimates only and will vary depending on specific ingredients used. Nutrition is per serving. Information is for the main recipe, not optional accompaniments.

Keywords coconut sauce, creamy vegan rendang, great with friends, vegan rendang

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