Indonesia

Rendang is a meat dish originating from Minangkabau region in Sumatra island, Indonesia. Traditionally, the term “rendang” refers to a method of slow cooking, continuously churning the ingredients in a pot on a small fire until all the liquids evaporate. Cooking rendang is time-consuming and requires patience, as it involves pounding and grinding ingredients as well as slow cooking. The spices used in rendang such as garlic, shallot, ginger, and galangal, have antimicrobial properties and serve as natural organic preservatives. If cooked properly, rendang can last for as long as four weeks, unrefrigerated. For this reason, prior to refrigeration technology, Minangkabau’s traveling merchant often bring rendang as their food supplies, when they sail for a long period of time. That’s how rendang was introduced to the world.