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Daging Dendeng

This version of Daging Dendeng came together through a bit of trial, error, and a lot of fridge-thinking. Instead of the usual slow-braising, I used a Chinese velveting technique — that method where meat is marinated in egg white, cornstarch, and a little seasoning to keep it ridiculously tender and juicy.



It's traditionally used in Chinese stir-fries, especially for beef and chicken, to help them stay silky soft even after high heat cooking. Worked like magic here, especially since I wanted the beef to hold its shape for frying and saucing.


Dendeng itself has deep roots in both Malay and Indonesian cuisine — particularly in Minangkabau food culture from West Sumatra. It was traditionally a preservation method: thinly sliced beef seasoned with salt and spices, then sun-dried or fried until it could last longer without refrigeration.



Over time, it evolved into a beloved festive dish, often glazed in kecap manis and spiced rempah, especially during Hari Raya or big family gatherings. Some versions lean dry and crispy, while others, like this one, keep the beef sticky and saucy — perfect with rice.


The best part? You don’t need fancy equipment or ingredients. I swapped out Shaoxing wine for sugar and rice vinegar, and it still gives that sweet-savory depth without the alcohol.


The rempah brings all the aromatic drama, and once it’s tossed with crispy fried beef slices, you’ll be spooning extra sauce over your rice and licking your fingers clean.


 

Ingredients:

(Serve 4)

  • Beef:

  • Beef Chuck / Flank, 500g

  • Sea Salt, Pinch

  • Black Pepper, Pinch

  • Granulated Sugar, Pinch

  • Mushroom Powder, Pinch

  • Garlic Powder, 1 TSP

  • Onion Powder, 1 TSP

  • Ginger Powder, 1 TSP

  • Baking Soda, 1/8 TSP

  • Rice Vinegar, 1 TBSP

  • Egg Whites, 2

  • Cornstarch, 60g

  • Coconut Oil, 1 TBSP

  • Kecap Manis, 2 TBSP

  • Rempah:

  • Dried Chilies, 10

  • Red Onion Wedged, 1

  • Garlic, 3 Cloves

  • Ginger, 2"

  • Lemongrass White Parts, 3 Stalks

  • Kaffir Lime Leaves, 3

  • Spice Blend:

  • Fennel Seeds, 1 TBSP

  • Cumin Seeds, 1 TBSP

  • Coriander Seeds, 1 TBSP

  • Dendeng:

  • Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, For Frying

  • Beef Stock, A Splash

  • Gula Melaka, Pinch

  • Yellow Onion Thinly Sliced, 1

  • Tamarind Juice, 1 TBSP

  • Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful

 

Equipment:

  • Blender / Hand Blender

  • Spice Grinder

  • Wok / Skillet

 

Directions:

  1. Prepare the beef.

  2. Remove any excess fat from the beef chuck or flank.

  3. Slice the beef to about 1/8" thick against the grain.

  4. *You can freeze the beef for about 30 mins for easier slicing.*

  5. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

  6. Add in salt, pepper, sugar, mushroom, garlic, onion, ginger, baking soda, rice vinegar, egg whites and cornstarch.

  7. Massage the marinade onto the beef until well combined, making sure there are no streaks of cornstarch and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the beef.

  8. *This is called velveting the beef.*

  9. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1hr.

  10. Loosen the beef mixture by mixing.

  11. Most of the liquid should be absorbed by the beef.

  12. Add in coconut oil and kecap manis.

  13. Mix until well combined.

  14. While the beef is marinating, prepare the rempah as well.

  15. Soak dried chilies in some hot water to hydrate.

  16. Once they are hydrated, deseed the chilies if desired.

  17. Transfer the chilies with the rest of the ingredients to a blender.

  18. Blitz everything until a smooth paste forms. You can use a hand blender as well.

  19. You can add a splash of that soaking liquid to get the blending going.

  20. Set it aside until ready to use.

  21. Prepare the spice blend as well.

  22. Toast the spices in a skillet over medium heat until aromatic.

  23. Transfer to a spice grinder and blitz until powder forms.

  24. Set it aside until ready to use.

  25. Prepare the dendeng.

  26. In a wok or skillet over medium heat, add about 3" of oil.

  27. When a chopstick is inserted into the oil, the bubbles should be bubbling.

  28. Once the oil is heated up, add in the marinated beef, 1 piece at a time.

  29. This is to prevent the beef from sticking to one another.

  30. Shallow fry for about 30 secs or until browned.

  31. Drain off excess oil on a wire cooling rack or a plate lined with parchment paper.

  32. Leaving about 2 TBSP of oil in the same skillet, over medium heat, add in the rempah.

  33. Saute until the rempah turns a darker shade of red.

  34. Add in the spice blend and saute until well combined.

  35. Followed by a splash of beef stock to loosen the gravy.

  36. The gravy should not be too thick or thin.

  37. Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt and gula melaka.

  38. Add in the fried beef and onion.

  39. Suate until well combined or until the onion is translucent.

  40. Lastly, mix in the tamarind juice.

  41. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate.

  42. Garnish with coriander.

  43. Serve immediately over some rice.


Tender, spicy and addictive...


Yummilicious...

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