500 gm top-side beef, sliced thinly

1 cm galangal

1 cm ginger

1 cm turmeric

15 shallots

5 cloves garlic

# ground the above to a paste

1/2 cup chilli paste

5 bird chillies, pounded

2 turmeric leaves, shredded thinly

4 lime leaves, shredded thinly

6 cups coconut milk, from 2 grated coconuts and 5 cups water

2 stalks lemon grass, bruised

'kerisik' from 1 coconut

( To make the 'kerisik', toast the dessicated coconut in the oven at 180 deg. C for 20 minutes. Stir it from time to time till the coconut is dark brown in colour. Transfer the coconut to a grinder and grind till the kerisik is a smooth paste.)

salt and sugar to taste

Method ======

Mix the beef, ground ingredients, chilli paste, bird chillies, turmeric leaves, lime leaves, coconut milk and lemon grass in a wok.

Simmer for half an hour and then add the kerisik.

Cook the beef rendang till it is dry.

Season with salt and a pinch of sugar.

1 cm ginger, chopped

10 shallots

3 cloves garlic

(shallots & garlic pounded to a paste)

4 tbsp dried shrimps, pounded

4 heaped tbsp fish curry powder

300 gm fresh prawns, shelled and minced finely

4 cups thick coconut milk, from 2 grated coconuts and 3 cups warm water

3 stalks lemon grass, bruised

1 cm galangal, bruised

1 kg mackerel fillet, poached and minced

5 tamarind skins

1 cup dessicated coconut, toasted till dark brown

500 gm cooked spaghetti

10 small limes, halved

Garnish #########

1 cucumber, cut into thin strips

1 bunch of Vietnamese mint, chopped

100 gm beansprouts, tailed

2 large red onions, sliced

100 gm raw long beans, sliced

For the shrimp paste sambal ##########

3 red chillies

1 tsp toasted shrimp paste

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp juice of a small lime

(The above to be pounded)