SERVES 4

• 2 medium shallots, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• ¼ cup chili paste, such as sambal oelek, or to taste
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil, such as coconut or avocado
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns or black peppercorns, coarsely ground
• 1 (2 inch) cinnamon stick
• 3 star anise
• 1 pound oyster mushrooms, shredded into strips with your fingers
• 1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk mixed with 1/2 cup water
• ¼ cup tamarind water (see Notes) or 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed
• 4 makrut lime leaves (see Notes; optional)
• 2 (1/2-inch) slices galangal (see Notes) or fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar (see Notes) or dark brown sugar
• 2 cups hot cooked jasmine rice

1. Pulse shallots, garlic, chili paste and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small food processor or blender until it’s the texture of oatmeal, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle.)

2. Heat oil in a large flat-bottom wok or skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the shallot mixture, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and star anise; cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is very fragrant and has turned a few shades darker, 5 to 7 minutes. (Reduce the heat if the paste is browning too fast; you don’t want the paste to burn.) Once the moisture has evaporated, the ingredients will separate from the oil. The paste is now ready for the next step.

3. Add mushrooms and stir to coat with the spice paste. Add coconut milk-water mixture, tamarind water (or lime juice), lemongrass, lime leaves (if using), galangal (or ginger), sugar and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly so the coconut milk doesn’t split. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated, forming a thick gravy, and oil pools on the surface of the rendang, 1 to 1½ hours. Toward the end of cooking, stir more frequently so the mixture doesn’t stick.

4. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Fish out and discard the whole herbs and spices, or leave them in for a rustic presentation. Serve over rice.

Tip: To make tamarind water, combine 1 ½ teaspoons seedless “wet” tamarind pulp with ¼ cup hot water. Stir and pour through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract the liquid. Reserve the liquid and discard the solids. Tamarind in this form is sold in 1-pound plastic packages at Asian markets. If tamarind concentrate is all you can find, you may have to use up to twice as much. Taste as you go.

SERVING SIZE ½ cup each rendang & rice
CALORIES 480 / CARBOHYDRATES 56G / DIETARY FIBER 4G / TOTAL SUGARS 12G / ADDED SUGARS 8G / PROTEIN 9G / TOTAL FAT 28G / SATURATED FAT 19G / VITAMIN A 56IU / VITAMIN C 5MG / VITAMIN D 33IU / VITAMIN E 1MG / FOLATE 64MCG / VITAMIN K 5MCG / SODIUM 798MG / CALCIUM 47MG / IRON 6MG / MAGNESIUM 70MG / POTASSIUM 818MG / ZINC 2MG / OMEGA-3 1G.

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/8045344/rendang-jamur-mushroom-rendang/