Rendang Curry Paste
This incredible curry paste packs a huge flavour punch when used to make Rendang curries. Rendang originated in Indonesia but is now more often thought of as a Malaysian dish. They tend to be slow cooked, coconut milk based curries which are rather spicy but with complex, deep, layers of flavour.
Full disclosure – there are a lot of ingredients and, although you may be able to get them all in a large supermarket, a trip to an Asian delicatessen may also be necessary. If this is not possible I have suggested some alternative replacement ingredients.
Once you have all the ingredients however, the paste is actually very quick and easy to make. It also lasts a long time in the fridge and freezes wonderfully, so it is worth making a double or triple batch. The actual curry itself is then very quick and easy to make, if you have some of this incredible paste to hand.
How to make Rendang Curry Paste
Collect all your ingredients together:
- ground turmeric
- ground coriander
- ground cumin
- powdered cardamom (Or grind the seeds from cardamom pods)
- powdered cloves
- powdered nutmeg
- fresh red Thai chillies, stem removed and roughly chopped (Or use equivalent weight of supermarket red chillies)
- onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- large cloves of garlic, peeled
- lemongrass, outer leaves removed, trimmed and and roughly chopped. (Or use equivalent lemon grass paste. See bottle for details.)
- galangal, sliced – no need to peel. (Or use equivalent galangal paste. See bottle for details.)
- ginger, sliced – no need to peel. (Or use equivalent ginger paste. See bottle for details.)
- ground white pepper (Or replace with ground black peppercorns)
- fine salt
How to make it:
- Prepare the vegetables and transfer them all to the food processor with the white pepper and salt:
- chillies, remove stems and roughly slice. If you do not like your curries too hot, remove the seeds as well
- onion, peel and roughly chop
- garlic cloves, peel
- lemongrass, trim and roughly chop
- galangal, sliced (no need to peel)
- ginger, sliced (no need to peel)
- ground white pepper
- fine salt.
- Blitz until smooth. You may need to stop the processor from time to time and scrape down the sides of the jug/bowl.
- Heat a frying pan to medium hot and add the spices –
- turmeric
- coriander
- cumin
- coriander
- cloves, and
- nutmeg.
- Cook for 10 – 15 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Add to the food processor.
- Blitz again until the paste is thoroughly mixed and very smooth. You may need to stop the processor from time to time and scrape down the sides of the jug/bowl.
- Transfer to a sterilised jam jar, seal and store in the fridge.
- Alternatively freeze. I use 100g in my Beef Rendang Curry for 4 people and always make at least a double portion of paste. I weigh it into 100g portions and freeze. I freeze them in silicone muffin trays and transfer the frozen pastes to bags when solid.
Ingredients 
1 Prepare vegetables 
2 Add to food processor… 
… and blitz 
3 Heat spices 
4 Add to food processor 
5 Blitz again 
6 Store in jar in fridge or freeze
Made this recipe?
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Rendang Curry Paste
This incredible curry paste packs a huge flavour punch when used to make Rendang curries. Rendang originated in Indonesia but is now more often thought of as a Malaysian dish. They tend to be slow cooked, coconut milk based curries which are rather spicy but with complex, deep, layers of flavour.
Makes roughly 300g
Ingredients
- 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon powdered cardamom (Or grind the seeds from cardamom pods)
- ¼ teaspoon powdered cloves
- ¼ teaspoon powdered nutmeg
- roughly 10 fresh red Thai chillies, stem removed and roughly chopped – 25g prepared weight (Or use equivalent weight of supermarket red chillies.)
- 1 medium onion, roughly 150g, peeled and roughly chopped
- 10 large cloves of garlic, peeled (40g prepared weight)
- 30g lemongrass, outer leaves removed, trimmed and and roughly chopped – 25g trimmed weight, 2-3 stalks. (Or use equivalent lemon grass paste. See bottle for details.)
- 30g galangal, sliced – no need to peel. (Or use equivalent galangal paste. See bottle for details.)
- 25g ginger, sliced – no need to peel. (Or use equivalent ginger paste. See bottle for details.)
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper (Or replace with ground black peppercorns)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
-
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
-
Prepare the vegetables and transfer them all to the food processor with the white pepper and salt:
– chillies, remove stems and roughly slice. If you do not like your curries too hot, remove the seeds as well
– onion, peel and roughly chop
– garlic cloves, peel
– lemongrass, trim and roughly chop
– galangal, sliced (no need to peel)
– ginger, sliced (no need to peel)
– ground white pepper
– fine salt.
-
Blitz until smooth. You may need to stop the processor from time to time and scrape down the sides of the jug/bowl.
-
Heat a frying pan to medium hot and add the spices:
– turmeric
– coriander
– cumin
– coriander
– cloves
– nutmeg.
Cook for 10 – 15 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Add to the food processor.
-
Blitz again until the paste is thoroughly mixed and very smooth. You may need to stop the processor from time to time and scrape down the sides of the jug/bowl.
-
Transfer to a sterilised jam jar, seal and store in the fridge.
-
Alternatively this paste freezes really well. I use 100g in my Beef Rendang Curry for 4 people and always make at least a double portion of the paste. I weigh it into 100g portions and freeze. I freeze them in silicone muffin trays and transfer the frozen pastes to bags when solid.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- chopping board and knife
- food processor
- frying pan
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Beef Rendang
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