RENDANG BEANBALLS
WITH COCONUT RICE AND A CRUSHING CRUSHED CUCUMBER SALAD
DON’T HOLD YOUR BEANS ‘CAUSE WE'RE LEAVING MEAT BEHIND AND DIVING INTO THESE EPIC MEATLESS BALLS DRENCHED IN A RICH RENDANG CURRY SAUCE. GO FOR ROBUST BORLOTTI OR KIDNEY BEANS FOR BOLDER FLAVOR. AND IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS MALAYSIAN RENDANG CURRY, YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT. GET READY TO DECLARE IT YOUR NEW CURRY CHAMPION. IF THAT IS EVEN A THING.
FEEDS 5 II TIME: 35 MINS II DIFFICULTY: READY BEFORE YOU CAN SAY RENDANG
INGREDIENTS
For the crushed cucumber salad:
For the crushed cucumber salad:
½ cucumber, crushed
1 chilli, finely sliced
½ lime juice
½ fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 spring onions, finely sliced
For the beanballs
2 × 400g (14oz) tins of beans, drained + rinsed
≤ 80g (1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
1 small lemongrass stick
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 onion
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
For the sauce
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp rendang paste (any other red/dark curry would be amazing too.)
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
150ml vegetable stock
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
For the rice
2 cups jasmine rice rice, rinsed
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
GET COOKING
Let's start off with the rice. First, rinse the rice until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it rest for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. After resting, use a fork to fluff the rice.
To prepare the crushed cucumber salad, mix the finely sliced chili, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and spring onions in a bowl. Take the cucumber and gently crush it with the side of a knife or a rolling pin, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add the cucumber to the bowl with the other ingredients, toss everything together, and let it marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish.
For the beanballs, heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion and garlic until soft and fragrant, then let them cool slightly. In a food processor, combine the drained beans, breadcrumbs, cooked onion and garlic, roughly chopped ginger, lemongrass stick, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Pulse until everything is broken down into small bits and the mixture holds together when pressed.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Shape the mixture into balls and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until they are golden brown and firm.
While the beanballs are baking, prepare the rendang curry sauce. In a saucepan, heat a little oil over medium heat and add the grated ginger and garlic, cooking until fragrant. Add the rendang paste and cook for another minute to release its flavors. Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable stock, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Stir well and let the sauce simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until it thickens slightly.
Once the beanballs are ready, remove them from the oven and add them to the saucepan with the rendang curry sauce. Gently coat the beanballs with the sauce and let them simmer together for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.
Serve the beanballs in rendang curry sauce with the crushed cucumber salad on the side.
Fuck yeah! Enjoy!
