Description
A bit of coconut milk makes this slow-cooked lamb undeniably buttery.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.5–3 whole rack of lamb ribs
- 3 tbsp canola oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 small shallots, peeled and sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 4 oz. fresh red chilies (such as fresnos, red jalapenos, bird’s eye chilies)
- 1–3” knob fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 3 stalks lemongrass, tender white parts only, smashed
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp palm sugar, or more to taste
- 3 makrut lime leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp tamarind juice
Instructions
- To make the rendang paste, process shallots, garlic, chilies, ginger, and lemongrass until finely minced.
- In a medium saute pan over med-low heat, add 1 tbsp canola oil and add aromatic paste, spices, palm sugar, lime leaves, and cinnamon.
- Cook the spice paste for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally and allowing it to maintain a gentle sizzle as it deepens in color.
- Whenever the spice paste starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, add coconut milk a few tablespoons at a time to help dislodge the fond and continue stirring (use up all the coconut milk).
- By the end, the rendang paste should be deep brown in color and the coconut oil should have separated from the solids.
- Add tamarind juice. Allow paste to cool to room temp before using, or store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Season lamb rack with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat a large cast iron pan or dutch oven on medium-high and add 2 tbsp canola oil.
- When oil just starts to smoke, place lamb rack fat side down in the pan. Turn heat down to med-low and allow fat to render and brown without burning, adjusting heat as necessary (at least 10-15 mins).
- Once the fat has rendered, sear the remaining sides until deeply browned.
- Remove rack from pan and place onto a sheet tray (cool and save lamb fat for another use). Coat rack generously in rendang paste, and roast at 350F for 15 minutes or until a thermometer probe inside reads 125F.
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve over coconut milk polenta or jasmine rice, simply prepared vegetables (such as garlic scapes, spring onions, swiss chard), and plenty of sambal.