Rendang, Cafe Drake Style

Rendang, that slow simmered Malaysian classic, is typically made with beef, but having in the fridge a pound of heritage pork stew meat Cafe Drake constructed an alternate version. Our rendition won't replace the standard in Malaysia's largely Muslim kitchens but it sure was rich and comforting! To Begin: make a spice paste in the blender with a bit of water, 3 cloves of chopped garlic, 5 chopped slices of ginger, 2 chopped stalks of lemongrass and 15 dried red chilies. Don't freak out at the amount of spice; while hot, rendang mellows considerably from the additions of sugar and coconut.

Now, fry the paste mixture in 1-2 T. vegetable oil for about 4 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons each of: fennel seeds, ground coriander and ground cumin. Also throw in a healthy dash of ground nutmeg. Fry for another 4 minutes. This step is important in imparting a complex flavor to the rendang so don't try to cut it short! Once the spices have been well-fried in the oil and paste mixture, add 1 pound of pork loin, cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Cook until lightly browned - 3 minutes should do it. Sprinkle generously with salt.

While all is going on in the other pan, dry roast 1 1/2 cups of shredded, unsweetened coconut until brown. Be careful to not burn - the coconut turns a lovely nutty color quickly. Set aside.

Add to the browned meat: the toasted coconut, 5 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2-3 T. sugar, 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and 1 1/3 cups water. Simmer covered for about 1 1/2 hours - no need really to stir too much. Uncover the pan and cook on a slightly higher flame for another half hour or until the sauce has become very thick and the meat is falling-apart tender.

Serve hot with rice and lime wedges. Cafe Drake has as above with braised mustard greens.