The great Raya rendang debate over which recipe is your favourite to try at home

The end of Ramadan brings with it much anticipation and excitement for families with parents from different states as the great rendang debate always arises.

Some families would opt to make beef, chicken, cockles, lamb or other meat or seafood rendang in different styles to placate both parties and to delight their guests.

With each recipe being a family treasure, experimented and perfected over generations, each side is willing to go into detail about why the rendang from their home state is superior in flavour, aroma, texture, spiciness, right down to which is better as leftovers.

It gets a little heated but there are no winners or losers in the great rendang debate, only happy taste buds and full bellies.

The rendang is Malaysians’ favourite festive food and among the must-haves on the table for the celebrations of Hari Raya. During your Hari Raya visits to the homes of neighbours, friends and relatives, you will never miss this great Malaysian dish.

There are four components to a great rendang: spices, paste, meat or seafood, and the creamy coconut milk base.

Chefs, home cooks and rendang connoisseurs agree that quality coconut milk is a key ingredient for an exceptional rendang, with distinct versions unique to each Malaysian states.

Working with three experienced and passionate home cooks, Ayam Brand Malaysia brings three unique rendang recipes making use the best coconut milk from Ayam Brand.

The Rendang Kerang dish is a tradition for Wana Kamal (@wanakamal_79) and brings back memories as it was her late father’s favourite rendang for Hari Raya.

“I boil the cockles before shucking as they open up. Overcooking cockles can make them tough and chewy. To make a good Rendang Kerang you need two handfuls of bird’s eye chilli and Ayam Brand coconut milk,” Wana says.

Amirah (@mira.sofia.saufi) feels that the spices and santan used in Rendang Ayam Cili Padi brings out the best in kampung chicken, especially when paired with glutinous rice.

“I use Ayam Brand coconut milk for this wonderful recipe.  Glutinous rice works best with this rendang as it holds more of the gravy, and the texture is stickier and creamy to complement the spiciness but it is also great with lemang or ketupat,” she adds.

Perakian Zarra’s (@zarra.riana) take on rendang is her family’s Rendang Daging Pedas that is famed for its texture. 

“While Rendang Tok uses kerisik (fried coconut paste), the Rendang Daging Pedas uses thick shredded coconut in order to get the soft texture similar to Serunding, a type of meat floss. Cooking on low heat and for many hours creates a tender beef, and the exotic combination of all the spices and herbs and Ayam Brand coconut milk brings out a mellowness of flavours at the end,” Zarra explains.

Ayam Brand’s coconut milk comes in three variants. You can use Ayam Brand Santan, Ayam Brand Santan Trim (45% reduced in fat) or Ayam Brand Santan Super Light (only 5% of fat) depending on your preference.

In time for Raya, Ayam Brand has introduced its limited edition Ayam Brand Santan 200ml with easy open cap – so you can use what you need, seal the cap and refrigerate the rest for later.

So, if you haven’t decided on this Raya’s rendang, there’s still time to try out these recipes (written in Malay language) to find your favourite. Will it be Rendang Kerang, Rendang Ayam Cili Padi with Pulut Kuning or Rendang Daging Pedas Perak?   

1. RENDANG KERANG by @wanakamal_79

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Genggam Cili Api Hijau (Kampung)
• 2 Labu Bawang Besar.
• 5 Ulas Bawang Putih.
• 2 Inci Halia Muda.
• 2 Inci Lengkuas Muda.
• 2 Inci Kunyit Hidup.
• 5 Batang Serai.
• Cawan Air.
• Bahan-Bahan Lain
• 1/2 Cawan Minyak Masak.
• 2kg Kerang, Size Sederhana.
• 1 Santan Ayam Brand 200ml
• 200ml Air
• 10 Urat Kacang Panjang.
• 4sdb Kerisik Kelapa.
• Garam.
• Daun Kunyit.

PREPARATION:

1. Kisar bahan-bahan dan ketepikan
2. Di dalam kuali panas, masukkan bahan kisaran,santan ayam brand dan air. Gaul sebati
3. Masukkan isi kerang dan masak.
4. Kemudian, masukkan, kacang Panjang dan kerisik kelapa. Tambahkan sedikit garam.
5. Gaul dan siap memasak.
   

2. RENDANG AYAM CILI PADI with PULUT KUNING by @mira.sofia.saufi

INGREDIENTS:

• Ayam (Dipotong Kecil)
• Bahan Kisar
• 2 Bawang*
• 3 Bawang Putih*
• 3 Batang Serai*
• 1 Halia*
• 1 Lengkuas*
• 1 Kunyit Hidup*
• 1 Cawan Cili Api Kampung*
• Bahan Lain
• 1 Kotak Santan Ayam Brand 200ml
• 2 Sudu Besar Kerisik
• 1 Daun Limau Purut
• Daun Kunyit
• 1 Asam Keping
• Gula & Garam Secukupnya

PREPARATION:

1. Kisar halus bahan2 bertanda * dan tumiskan sehingga pecah minyak.
2. Masukkan ayam, gula & garam secukupnya. Biarkan ayam kecut sedikit sebelum dimasukkan santan.
3. Setelah santan dimasukkan, biarkan sehingga kering sedikit. Masukkan kerisik dan asam keping. Biarkan sehingga ayam masak.
4. Setelah rendang masak, boleh taburkan dengan hirisan daun kunyit dan daun limau purut.
5. Hidang Bersama Pulut

3. RENDANG DAGING PEDAS by @zarra.riana

INGREDIENTS:

• *2 Biji Bawang Besar
• *3 Batang Serai
• *3 Ulas Bawang Putih
• *1 1/2 Inci Kunyit Hidup
• *1 Inci Halia
• *1 Inci Lengkuas
• *Segenggam Kelapa Parut
• *Air Masak Paras Separuh Dr Bahan
• 1kg Daging Batang Pinang (Potong Tebal)
• 1 Senduk Lada Kisar
• 1 Kotak Santan Ayam Brand 200ml
• 1/2 Keping Asam Keping
• 1/2 Ketul Gula Melaka
• Garam Secukupnya
• Daun Kunyit
  [*Bahan Kisar]

PREPARATION:

1. Kisar semua bahan bertanda * kecuali kelapa parut
2. Kemudian kisar kasar kelapa parut
3. Panaskan kuali dan lebur semua bahan kisar
4. Masukkan lada kisar
5. Kacau rata dan masukkan air dr bekas blender
6. Kemudian masukkan daging
7. Biar hingga mendidih
8. Masukkan 1 kotak santan ayam brand 200ml
9. Kacau rata
10. Masukkan asam keping
11. Masukkan gula melaka
12. Perasakan dgn garam secukupnya
13. Sentiasa kacau & masak dgn api sederhana
14. Masak hingga kuah kering
15. Sentiasa kacau untuk elak hangit di bahagian bawah
16. Masukkan hirisan daun kunyit
17. Masak hingga kuah kering & tekstur seperti serunding
18. Utk dapatkan tekstur kering masa masak lebih kurang selama 1 jam lebih
19. Siap utk dihidang, tabur hirisan daun kunyit lagi di atasnya
20. Sedap dimakan dgn ketupat, lemang, nasi putih, jemput-jemput atau roti canai.