Recipe: mussel rendang
Did you always think rendang was the name of a specific dish? Like this ultimate rendang? Cookbook author Maureen Tan taught us that this isn’t correct. Maureen: ‘The different stages of rendang all have their own flavor, texture and appearance. ‘Rendang’ is the third and final stage. The sauce has then been completely reduced, and the main ingredient is buttery tender and dark brown in color, having absorbed all the flavors.’ And that means you can make rendang not only with the familiar beef chuck, but with mussels too!
Zeeland mussels
Maureen: ‘In West Sumatra, this rendang is made with lokan, small freshwater clams gathered in the mangroves. Rendang made with the bivalve shellfish is very popular with the local population. It is a cheaper alternative to expensive beef. I use mussels in this recipe; Zeeland mussels are available from mid-July to early April.’
How to make mussel rendang
- Scrub the mussels clean under the tap and leave them for a moment in a bowl of cold water. Discard any mussels that float to the surface. The shells that are open will usually close by themselves. Tap an open shell with a spoon. If the shell still doesn’t close, discard the mussel. Rinse the mussels under cold running water and drain in a colander.
- In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the candlenuts, cardamom, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds and fennel seeds for about 2 minutes. Grind the toasted spices finely in a mortar. Transfer the ground spices to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the shallots, garlic, lomboks, ginger root and turmeric root with the salt to the mortar and grind into a fine bumbu. If the mortar is too full, grind the ingredients in batches. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, toast the grated coconut in a dry frying pan over medium heat until dark brown. Grind the toasted coconut in the mortar until it becomes a slightly shiny paste from the oil released during grinding. Set aside.
- Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Fry the bumbu for about 5 minutes. Add the ground spices, galangal, cinnamon, asem kandis, lime leaves, turmeric leaf and lemongrass and fry for 1 minute. Add the coconut paste, coconut milk and coconut cream and bring everything to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to about 1/4 of its original volume.
- After 30 minutes, add the mussels and samphire and steam the mussels with the lid on the pan for 4 to 6 minutes, or until they have all opened and are cooked. Shake the pan several times so the mussels cook evenly. The rendang is now ready to serve.
Title: Rendang
Author: Maureen Tan
Price: €32,99
Publisher: Carrera
In Rendang by Maureen, you’ll find traditional rendang daging made with beef, as well as vegetarian rendang with potatoes, jackfruit, crispy fried cassava, beans, tofu, tempeh and all kinds of different vegetables. Fish, shellfish, poultry and offal are also used—as long as the end result is truly incredibly delicious.
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