Le Kit Malaysian Rendang Curry

This is a curry originally from Indonesia but popularised in Malaysia and Singapore especially for festive occasions. It is a rich dark slow cook curry normally made with beef, lamb or duck. Moderately spicy and intensely aromatic with lemongrass, galangal and star anis.

1 Malaysian Rendang Curry Kit, organic
800g stewing beef (trimmed of fat and cubed)
3 tbsps + 2 tsps cooking oil
1 onion medium
2 garlic cloves, large
1 can Coconut milk, 400ml
1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

Blend <b>Pouch 1</b> with 2 tsps of cooking oil to make a paste.
Grate or finely chop in a food processor 1 medium onion and 2 large garlic cloves.
Mix the onion and garlic with the spice paste.
Heat 3 tbsps cooking oil in a heavy casserole pan and add the onion, garlic spice paste and fry for 4/5 mins over a medium heat.
Add <b>Pouch 2</b> to the pan and 400ml Coconut milk (1 can) and simmer.
Cut 800g stewing beef into 3cm cubes and add to the pan.
Raise the heat to bring it back to simmering point and add 2 tbsp light soya sauce, then reduce the heat to simmer gently with the lid on for 3 hours.
Check occasionally and stir.
Towards the end of the cooking time, in a dry frying pan toast <b>Pouch 3</b> over a medium high heat until the coconut is rich golden brown.
Add to the simmering curry and simmer for a further 30mins. Adjust salt, chilli and sugar to taste.

Serve with a good basmati rice or thai jasmin rice if you prefer.