Malaysia’s Taste Buds - Rendang

Rendang considered one of the most important cuisine for Hari Raya.  

Rendang always be the most important menu on the becoming celebration of Hari Raya. So I decided to include it in my list of articles. It is one of the most important cuisine in Malay culture that enjoyed by all Malaysian and the knowledge about Rendang will allow us to enjoy it more.

Rendang is prepared usually use coconut milk so long until it becomes dry. Rendang originates from Indonesia and is very popular in the Sumatera, especially in the districts of Padang. It is not surprising that in the district of Padang’s Rendangs has more variation using more main ingredients.

In Malaysia key ingredients used in the preparation usually consists of chicken, beef (cow / goat / buffalo / deer, etc.) and rarely of other types such as fish or vegetables. Rendang prepared occasional for the cooking time take longer than other daily dishes. But for those who in restaurant business will surely seek to provide a shady every day because it is the customer's request.

Chicken's Rendang.

Rendang with 'Maman' (type of vegetable) popular in Negeri Sembilan.  

Rendang is popular as food in the feast, and practically every house would prepare rendang for the family and visitors. Anyway these rendangs are not identical from one another. This becomes one of the best things about rendang as it can be prepared in various ways. However, there are few types of popular among them; Rendang Tok , Rendang Dinding, Rendang Neghoghi (Negeri) and Rendang Padang .

While in terms of the ingredients, there are some important ingredients that been used for most types of rendang such as; chili, garlic, scallion, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, galangal, turmeric, turmeric’s leaves, lime leaves and coconut paste. Other materials may be used in some other rendang types listed earlier, but these ingredients are that commonly used.

Rendang Tok popular in the North State of Perak.

There are several main purposes of why rendang is important;

·     It lasts longer; it usually prepared in large quantities and can be consumed for few days during the festive season.

·    Using matured meet (from old chicken or other meats) as these meats can stand for a longer cooking time. For rendang an old chicken meat can be the best type of meat even though it might be not suitable for other daily dishes.

·    Rendang is easy to carry because it was cooked until almost dry – there will be no sauce to spill.

·    Rendang can easily match with other foods – that will prepared together during the Hari Raya festive. It can be eaten with ketupat, soto, lontong, fried noodles or fried ‘rice noodles’ but also with the 'nasi lemak'.

As said earlier rendang is popular in the area of Padang in Sumatra as it has more variations there. It wills great if we can learn a little bit about rendang from Padang. First the 'Rendang Lumek' (cooked until dry and pulverized) prepared using fish meat known as ‘gabus’ and leaves. This Rendang is rare now because the fish is hard to find.

Perfect pairs of Rendang and Lemang.

Eggs also been used in rendang from Padang District, using flour mixed eggs , steamed and cut into small pieces. In contrast to today rendang prepared using egg omelet. The following is ‘Rendang Runtiah’ using shredded beef, shredded into small pieces and other types are the cow’s lungs, eels, and fish and so on.

I hope that will be a helpful information about rendang that we need to know in order to make this year rendang consuming will be little bit different. It is not easy to prepare the rendang during Ramadan with all other prepartion for the becoming festive of Hari Raya in Malay culture. Hopefully all the preparation will be enjoyed by all other family members with joy and laughter and for that all of the foods will be blessed.