Adaptation of ‘Rendang’, from ‘Lokan’ to Foliage

Rendang (a traditional Minangkabau dish gone global), is not only served with meat as its main ingredient. Rendang adapts to the geographical conditions of the surrounding areas.

KOMPAS/YOLA SASTRA

Jusdahniar (57) cooks rendang leaves at his home in Nagari Batu Bulek, North Lintau Buo District, Tanah Datar, West Sumatra, Saturday (28/5/2022). Lintau's signature rendang uses ingredients from the 50's to 100's of types of leaves and eels..

The dried eel pieces were bubbling in the kuali, a cooking pan. Flashes of fire from the firewood seemed to be licking it from below. The smell of coconut milk wafted from the food being cooked in the iron stove, near the house's garage.

Slowly, Jusdahniar (57) put the fresh leaves he brought into the kalio, half-cooked rendang. Not long after that, the leaves were soon fried by the oil appearing from the coconut milk. Gradually, the dish turned black into rendang.