Dendeng Balado

Ingredients

• 700 g beef topside or silverside
• 1 litre water
• 4 garlic cloves, for the poaching liquid
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 turmeric leaf, optional
• 2 salam leaves
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 2 tsp salt, for the poaching liquid
• 14 large red chillies
• 8 bird's eye chillies
• 10 shallots
• 5 garlic cloves, for the balado
• 2 tomatoes
• 150 ml vegetable oil, for the balado
• 500 ml vegetable oil, for frying the beef
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 tsp salt, for the balado
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 lime

Before you cook

• Cut the beef across the grain into slices about 5 mm thick.
• Peel the four garlic cloves for the poaching liquid and crush them.
• Bruise the lemongrass stalk.
• Peel the shallots and the remaining garlic.
• Cut the tomatoes into quarters and cut the lime in half.

Steps

1. Put the beef slices into a pan with the water, crushed garlic, coriander, turmeric, turmeric leaf, salam leaves, lemongrass and salt.
2. Bring the pan to a boil, then turn it down and simmer for 40 minutes, until the beef is tender and the liquid has almost gone.
3. Lift the slices out and lay them on a board to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Beat each slice with the flat of a heavy knife or a meat mallet until it is thin, wide and slightly frayed at the edges.
5. Pat the beaten slices completely dry with kitchen paper so they will fry rather than steam.
6. Pound or coarsely blend the large chillies, bird's eye chillies, shallots, garlic and tomatoes into a rough, still-chunky paste.
7. Heat the 500 ml of oil in a deep pan to 180C.
8. Fry the beef in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, until dark, dry at the edges and crisp.
9. Drain the fried beef on a rack over kitchen paper.
10. Pour the 150 ml of oil into a wide frying pan and set it over medium heat.
11. Add the chilli paste and the kaffir lime leaves and fry for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often.
12. Keep cooking until the paste has darkened to brick red and a slick of clear red oil pools around the edge.
13. Season the balado with the salt and sugar and squeeze in the lime.
14. Add the fried beef to the pan and turn the slices over for 2 minutes so each one is coated but still crisp.
15. Serve immediately with hot steamed rice.