Rendang
Rendang is a fried meat or dry curry made of meat stewed in coconut milk and spices, widely popular across Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, where each version is considered local cuisine. It refers to both a cooking method of frying and the dish cooked in that way. The process involves slowly cooking meat in spiced coconut milk in an uncovered pot or pan until the oil separates, allowing the dish to fry in its own sauce, coating the meat in a rich, flavorful glaze.
Rooted in Malay and Minangkabau, rendang developed at the cultural crossroads of the Malacca Strait. The dish carries strong Indian influences, as many of its key ingredients are staples in Indian cooking. The introduction of chili peppers by the Portuguese through the Columbian exchange after the capture of Malacca in 1511, played a key role in the evolution of rendang. Malay and Minangkabau traders frequently carried rendang as provisions, allowing the dish to travel naturally through cultural exchange between the Sumatra and Malay Peninsula. In 20th century, the deeply rooted migratory tradition of the Minangkabau people further maintained and contributed to the dish's spread, as they introduced Minang-style rendang to the various places they settled.
As a signature dish in Southeast Asian Muslim cuisines—Malay, Minangkabau, and Moro —rendang is traditionally served at ceremonial occasions and festive gatherings, such as wedding feasts and Hari Raya. Nowadays, it is commonly served at food stalls and restaurants as a side dish with rice. In 2009, Malaysia recognized rendang as a heritage food. Indonesia granted rendang cultural heritage status in 2013 and officially declared it one of its national dishes in 2018.
Etymology and definitions
Both the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia and Kamus Dewan define rendang as meat cooked with spices and coconut milk until completely dry; rendang is also a verb for the action of frying in a pan with or without oil. Food historian Khir Johari explains that rendang had a broader meaning for frying in general before the prevalence of goreng. For instance, Munshi Abdullah in his 1838 travelogue to Kelantan described the people of Terengganu enjoying rendang pisang — what the Malays now called goreng pisang or pisang goreng.A 1960 article from Azizah Ja'afar in Berita Harian's Dewan Wanita section lists rendang as "frying with a generous amount of oil", similar to merendang pisang or jemput-jemput, where the things being fried would float in the hot oil. This distinguishes rendang from goreng, which involves little to no oil, as seen in dishes like nasi goreng or mi goreng. Additionally, "rendang" is also the name of a traditional Malay dish known for its rich, spicy flavors, such as rendang santan, and rendang pedas.
| Year | Author | Description |
| 1623 | C. Wiltens, and S. Danckaerts | to fry in butter or oil, to fry, to fricassee |
| 1677 | F. Gueynier | to fry in a pan, to fricassee, to sauté |
Linguist Tom G. Hoogervorst's etymological research traces rendang back to the 17th-century Malay wordlists. The name rendang comes from the frying process; by the late 19th century, rendang was associated more specifically with a type of dry curry by British colonial officials in Malaya, where it is noted that Malays distinguished rendang as a dry curry and gulai as a wet curry. In olden times, rendang was often translated to English as "fried meat" or "dry curry".
Rendang entered Oxford English Dictionary through Malay and Indonesian rendang which also cognates with Minangkabau randang. Gusti Asnan notes that the earliest recorded mention of randang in the Minangkabau context appears in J.L. van der Toorn's Minangkabau-Malay-Dutch dictionary published in 1891. This word in turn comes from marandang, which means cooking food slowly until the food becomes dry. The Minangkabau people brought rendang as a provision because of its ability to last a long time when moving to other regions.
History
Timeline of documentation
The first known use of the word
Food historian Fadly Rahman traces the earliest reference to rendang to the early 16th-century Malay manuscript Hikayat Amir Hamzah associated with the Malacca Sultanate. Written during the spread of Islam in the Malay world, this adaptation of the Persian Hamzanama was later compiled into Malay and intended to inspire Malacca's soldiers in their fight against the Portuguese in 1511. In Malay version, there mentioned the words "rendang" and "merendang" which is quoted as follows:This passage suggests that merendang refers to a cooking technique, while rendang describes the resulting dish have been part of the Malay vocabulary since the 16th century.
Earliest references in European texts
Hoogervorst's research, traces the modern term rendang back to the Malay-Dutch dictionary first compiled in Ambon and published by Caspar Wiltens and Sebastiaan Danckaert in 1623, where it was defined as "to fry in butter or oil, to fry, to fricassee". The dictionary was expanded and updated multiple times. According to Fadly Rahman, the author of the dictionary attempted to translate rendang using a European dish, something that his readers would be familiar with — fricassee, a French cooking method that involves cutting meat into pieces and braising it.As a tradition in royal Malay banquets
Khir Johari notes that rendang tumis is mentioned in the Hikayat Hang Tuah, a classic Malay literary masterpiece from around the 17th-century. Another manuscript, Hikayat Awang Sulung Merah Muda, reflects 18th-century life and cooking traditions. In the narration, a prince hunts and captures a pelanduk, which is then prepared in various styles — tumis, rendang, and gulai. Tumis refers to a dish that is more like soup, while rendang resembles the slow-cooked dish we know today. These manuscripts offer a glimpse into the Malay cuisine of the 17th and 18th centuries.Historical records from the 19th century, including newspaper reports and travelogues, often described the key ingredients of rempah used in rendang, as well as its regional variations. Renowned for his refined taste and hospitality, Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor frequently hosted lavish banquets at his Istana Besar in Johor Bahru. In 1873, J.F.A. McNair described a royal Malay banquet featuring dishes such as rendang tenggiri and rendang chinchang Plentong. In 1881, when King David Kalākaua of Hawaii visited Johor, Sultan Abu Bakar served rendang tenggiri as part of the royal reception.
Made popular through cookbooks and newspapers
By the early 20th century, rendang recipes began appearing in published cookbooks and newspapers across British Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. On 2 February 1917, Soenting Melajoe featured an article by Datoek Soetan Maharadja, noting that Europeans residing in Palembang, Batavia, and Kupang had written to Minangkabau women, sending money through the magazine's editor to request the preparation and delivery of “rendang Alam Minangkabau”. The "Mem's" Own Cookery Book: 420 Tried and Economical Recipes for Malaya by Mrs. Kinsey, published in Singapore, included a recipe for "rundang" that used curry powder and could be served with spaghetti. In 1936, R.A. Kardinah's Cooking Guide for Ladies, published in Batavia, featured a chicken rendang recipe that emphasized slow cooking, though it adapted traditional ingredients.Contemporary era
In Indonesia, rendang is mainly associated with Minangkabau. The popularity of rendang grew with the presence of Minangkabau-style lepau in areas where Minangkabau migrants settled. Their presence in new areas played a significant role in popularizing rendang as a signature dish of West Sumatra. Today, rendang stands as the iconic menu item in Minangkabau restaurants, often accompanied by other meat-based dishes.In Malaysia and Singapore, rendang is often paired with iconic dishes such as nasi lemak — a national favorite — or lemang, Malay glutinous rice cooked in bamboo, particularly during festivals like Hari Raya. However, rendang has also become a staple in Malay eateries. It even features on the menus of international restaurants, showcasing its enduring appeal and cultural significance.
Theories on origin
From India
Rendang, often regarded as an exclusive Malay, Minangkabau dish, is heavily influenced by Indian cuisine. Many of its ingredients, such as cardamom, coriander, garlic, shallots, chili, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, bay leaves, tamarind, and turmeric, are staples in Indian cooking. Winarno and Agustinah believe rendang may have been inspired by curry, a dish combining meat and spices in North India. Indian traders who traveled to West Sumatra brought their culinary traditions with them, possibly influencing the development of rendang. It likely traces its roots to Indian merchants, though it has undergone multiple layers of evolution over time. During this period, Malaysia and Indonesia had yet to emerge as distinct geographical entities, resulting in a deep shared culinary and cultural history.From West Sumatra
Gusti Asnan notes that the earliest mention of randang in Minangkabau culture appears in J.L. van der Toorn's dictionary from 1891. However, he believes that it had been familiar to the Minangkabau people long before this record.| Randang has been known to Minang | Argumentation |
| since the 16th century | based on the migration of Minang people to Peninsular Malaysia |
| since the 1830s | based on the information in H.J.J.L. Ridder de Stuers' report |
Fadly Rahman inferred that rendang is closely associated with the Islamic tradition, the migratory culture, and the commercial ethics of the Minangkabau people. An early reference to “Rendang Minang”, a dish renowned for its ability to last for months and favored by migrants and traders, dates to 1917.