Hot dang - a fast Beef Rendang

So, what do you do if you crave some beef rendang but don't have 2 hours to wait for the meat to cook? Why, you 'look for shortcuts', of course!

This usually happens when the lightbulb goes off above your head at, say, around 4pm.  But that doesn't leave much time to leave work, get to the shops, find and purchase your ingredients, rush home, chop and prep, then cook the meal.  And don't get me started on presenting it nicely on a plate.  Plating up? Pshaw!

The shortcuts I made to this version of rendang are numerous and many. Not really. I just used a prepared rendang paste from the supermarket, and pre-cooked the beef by briefly sauteing it then resting it while the sauce cooked.  The sauce is not the 'proper' dry rendang sauce, as it contains quite a bit of coconut milk and stock, and the extra liquid does help the meat cook properly, and keeps it moist.   The dry rendang is also very good, as I evidenced by this version by AlmostBourdain, that I've had the pleasure of tasting - it's something I'd like to have a go at if I had more time!

Simple Beef Rendang
serves 4

Ingredients
1 tblsp vegetable oil
500g beef rump steak, trimmed
2 eschalots, chopped
1 cup dessicated coconut
4 tblsp rendang paste (use less if you want it less spicy)
400ml coconut cream (reduced fat is okay)
1 cup vegetable or beef stock
2 tblsp fish sauce
1 tblsp lime juice
1 stalk spring onion, sliced (optional)
boiled rice, to serve

Method
1.  Heat 1/2 tblsp of oil in a large frying pan over high heat.  Cook the beef for about 3 minutes each side (for medium-rare), or until cooked to your liking.  Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
2.  Add eschalot and coconut to the pan.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Do not let the coconut get burnt. 
3.  Add the rendang paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.
4.  Add coconut cream, stock and fish sauce.  Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the sauce has thickened.  Stir in lime juice.
5.  Slice the beef into thin slices and return to the pan.  Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until just heated through.
6.  Serve with rice and spring onion.
 - Any leftover sauce can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for a few days - just reheat in a saucepan.

The steak is cooked whole to start off with, then sliced and added to the sauce later.

Keep the dry coconut and rendang paste on the move by stirring -
it can brown quite quickly

This dish does not really lend itself to plating up -
I just bunged it on a sort of Asian-style plate.

...and don't forget the spring onion to garnish