Curried Potatoes & Green Beans with Spicy Beef Stew

On this lunch box I packed for my husband, there is curried potatoes, warm rice that I shaped into a bear LOL and Indonesian spicy beef stew, Rendang.

Rendang is also famous in neighboring countries such as in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. It is said to be India origin though. I guess the similarities of the spices used make it so.

Did you know that rendang was named as the most delicious food in the world by CNNTravel? So give it a try and see if you like it 🙂

Curried Potatoes & Green Beans

8-12 potatoes, peeled, quartered, wash clean

a plate of green beans, halved, wash clean

1-2 tsp chopped crispy fried garlic

at least 2 tsps Hungarian Vegeta seasoning

1-2 tsps turmeric powder

2 candle nuts(I have no substitution to this, you may find them online or at Asian stores. I have never tried substituting with anything, but sometimes I think we can either use almond if not cashew or perhaps Brazil nuts)

1-2 tsp coriander

1 tbsp vegetable oil

water as needed

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 of large onion

Method

In a food processor, make a paste of all the ingredients (spices and oil). Heat a non stick pan, saute paste, add in potatoes, stir to coat; add in a little water. Cook until tender (unless you pre-boiled them first) then add in green beans. Do not over cook green beans; slightly crunchy still. Add in seasonings to your taste bud; add in a little more water if needed.

For quicker cooking time, you can pre-boil or pre-steam the potatoes until half done.

I made the curried potatoes above as I often go to Indian restaurant, which I have blogged a few times before here. One day I tried making my own and it turned out awesome. I bet the one at the restaurant has curry powder in them though, mine doesn’t and somehow I think it tastes almost the same as the one I had at the Indian restaurant(s).

Rendang/Spicy Beef Stew

• Process into paste: 2 tbs galangal roots; 3 cm turmeric; 2 cm ginger; 150 gram red hot chili; 5 shallots; 5 garlic; 2 tsp of salt
• 1 kg beef without fat, cut cubes to 4 x 4 cm; 2 turmeric leaves, tie knots each; 3 kafir lime leaves; 2 lemongrass; 2 cm of tamarind; 1 1/4 lt of coconut milk from 2 coconuts; 9 shallots, make thinly slices
• Mix coconut milk with turmeric leaves, kafir lime leaves, lemongrass, the slices of shallots, tamarind, and paste, altogether. Bring to boil until oily comes out of the soup
• Meanwhile, wash clean the beef cubes, drain, then add into the soup.
• Stir occasionally, and cook until beef tender and soup thickened and turn in color into rich brown. Eventually, all the soups will be gone as it will be thickened.

Tips:

• Do not forget to always stir well every now and then especially when the soup is thickening and went dry in the end, leaving only the cooked spicy beef.
• Do watch out of the bubbling thickening hot soup when you are stirring the beef in the coconut milk.

Print Recipe

Curried Potatoes & Green Beans with Spicy Beef Stew

beef stew: Rendang

Servings: 0

Ingredients

Spice Paste

• 1-2 tsp chopped crispy fried garlic
• 1-2 tsps turmeric powder
• 2 candle nuts I have no substitution to this, you may find them online or at Asian stores. I have never tried substituting with anything, but sometimes I think we can either use almond if not cashew or perhaps Brazil nuts
• 1-2 tsp coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 of large onion

Curried Potato and Green Beans

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8-12 potatoes peeled, quartered, wash clean
• a plate of green beans halved, wash clean
• at least 2 tsps Hungarian Vegeta seasoning
• water as needed

Paste For The Beef

• 2 tbs galangal roots
• 3 cm turmeric
• 2 cm ginger
• 150 gram red hot chili
• 5 shallots
• 5 garlic
• 2 tsp of salt

Beef Stew

• 1 kg beef without fat cut cubes to 4 x 4 cm
• 2 turmeric leaves tie knots each
• 3 kafir lime leaves
• 2 lemongrass
• 2 cm of tamarind
• 1 1/4 lt of coconut milk from 2 coconuts
• 9 shallots make thinly slices

Instructions

Potatoes and Green Beans

• In a food processor, make a paste of all the ingredients (spices and oil).
• Heat a non stick pan, saute paste, add in potatoes, stir to coat; add in a little water. Cook until tender (unless you pre-boiled them first) then add in green beans. Do not over cook green beans; slightly crunchy still.
• Add in seasonings to your taste bud; add in a little more water if needed.

Beef Stew

• Process spices into paste
• Mix coconut milk with turmeric leaves, kafir lime leaves, lemongrass, the slices of shallots, tamarind, and paste, altogether. Bring to boil until oily comes out of the soup
• Meanwhile, wash clean the beef cubes, drain, then add into the soup.
• Stir occasionally, and cook until beef tender and soup thickened and turn in color into rich brown. Eventually, all the soups will be gone as it will be thickened.

Notes

For quicker cooking time, you can pre-boil or pre-steam the potatoes until half done.
Do not forget to always stir well every now and then especially when the soup is thickening and went dry in the end, leaving only the cooked spicy beef.
Do watch out of the bubbling thickening hot soup when you are stirring the beef in the coconut milk.