The Leith’s School of Food and Wine is a renowned establishment, and with a whole host of courses from professional to weekend and day classes, you too can cook like a pro. One recipe to try is this ultra-delicious curry which hits all the high notes. “The freshly made spice paste (which is a rounded kick of fresh ginger and chili, with a mellow fragrance of galangal and lemongrass) and the use of fresh spices and aromatics (lemongrass, sour tamarind, the freshness of lime leaves, earthy cinnamon sticks) gives a fragrant and authentic finish to what is a rich and complex flavored Malaysian chicken stew. You can smell the intensity, which makes your mouth water before you even taste it.” Leith’s Ingredients for the spice paste 4-6 dried red chilies 4 shallots 4 garlic cloves 3cm piece fresh root ginger 3cm piece fresh galangal 3 lemongrass stalksFor the rendang 75g fresh coconut 900g chuck steak 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 piece cassia bark or 1 cinnamon stick 3 cloves 6 green cardamom pods 300ml coconut milk 2 lemongrass stalks 2 teaspoons palm sugar 6 lime leaves salt 3-star anise 3 teaspoons tamarind paste or 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp, soaked in 100 ml water and strained -For the spice paste, soak the dried chilies in boiling water for 15–20 minutes. Halve, peel and coarsely chop the shallots and peel and chop the garlic. Peel and coarsely chop the ginger and galangal. Cut off and discard the green tops and root end from the lemongrass and coarsely chop the tender inner part. Drain the chilies and chop them coarsely. -Using a pestle and mortar or food processor, pound or blend all the paste ingredients to a smoothish paste, adding a little water if necessary. -For the rendang, grate the coconut finely and, in a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast until golden. Remove to a bowl and cool. -Trim the excess fat and sinew from the steak, then cut it into 2.5–3 cm chunks. -Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the cassia bark, star anise, cloves, and cardamom pods and cook for 2 minutes, then add the spice paste and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, taking care it doesn’t burn. -Add the beef, stir to coat in the spice paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the coconut milk. Cut off the green tops and root end from the lemongrass. Bruise with the flat side of a large knife to release the flavor and add to the pan with the meat. Add the tamarind paste, sugar, lime leaves, and toasted coconut. -Lower the heat, cover and simmer very gently for 2–2½ hours until the meat is tender. Halfway through cooking, remove the lid and reduce a little to a thick sauce that coats the meat. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt or sugar. Remove and discard the star anise, cassia, and lemongrass. Serve with steamed rice.
