Rendang was traditionally a way of preserving the meat of water buffalos by long slow cooking in coconut oil, like a confit. Indonesian food expert Sri Owen writes about her mother bulking out beef rendang with potatoes and red kidney beans during the Japanese occupation of Java when meat was in scarce supply. She also mentions making a rendang-style squid dish in Venice, just cooking it for a shorter time so that it remains saucy. Tempeh (tempe in Indonesian) is a traditional Indonesian product made from whole cooked soybeans that have been fermented and moulded into blocks. Unlike its more neutral cousin tofu, tempeh has a pronounced savoury, slightly nutty flavour due to the fermentation. Also, unlike tofu, it stands up to long cooking very well, making it a great alternative to beef in this vegan rendang tempe. If you prefer a saucier rendang, reduce cooking time and serve it before the tempeh has absorbed all of the coconut milk. Indonesian pickled vegetables, acar, make a great accompaniment to rendang tempe (see video below). Beer is a popular pairing with Asian dishes like rendang. I like to mix it up a bit with a clean, crisp dry cider like the apple or pear cider from Sidewood in the Adelaide Hills.
Serves 2–4
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