Rendang (Minang language: Randang) is one of Minangkabau traditional dishes that use meat and coconut milk as a main ingredient containing spices are rich. Dishes with a spicy flavor is favored by the entire community, and can be found all over the Padang Restaurant in Indonesia, even in Malaysia, or in other countries. This dish is sometimes better known as Rendang Padang, but rendang is Minang cuisine in general.
In 2011, rendang dish was named the first rank in the list of World's 50 Most Delicious Foods held by CNN International. http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendang
Besides having a delicious taste, rendang noble positions in Minangkabau culture. It can be seen from the philosophy of the Minangkabau of rendang. Philosophy refers to the four basic ingredients rendang, is:
1. Meat, as a main ingredient in making rendang, a symbol of ninik mamak (indigenous tribal leaders) in the
Minangkabau.
2. Coconut (karambi), as a support material which is a symbol of the intellectuals (clever outrigger)
3. Cabe (lado), as a symbol of the scholars, a spicy, which is strictly to teach Islamic law.
4. Seasoning, as a complement which is a symbol of the whole community minang.
The uniqueness of rendang is the use of natural ingredients, which are antiseptic and kill pathogenic bacteria that act as natural preservatives. Garlic, shallots, ginger, and galangal are known to have strong antimicrobial activity. Not surprisingly, the rendang can be kept one week to four weeks.
The process of cooking rendang can spend hours and hours (usually about four hours), because that's cooking rendang takes time and patience. Cooking rendang should be patient and painstaking attended, always carefully inverted in order to dry the coconut milk and spices perfectly absorbed, without scorch or destroy flesh. The process is known in the art of cooking with modern culinary term 'caramelization'. Because it uses many types of condiments, rendang is known to have a complex and unique flavor. http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendang
Rendang Minang Kabau cultural heritage as a beginning in 1550 and has 4 of the philosophy and culture attached to minang hopefully we can continue to preserve.