Beef Rendang

This spicy Asian-inspired noodle dish will really warm you up on a cold, winter evening

Relax, take it easy, chill. Forget fast food and serve up slow-cooked meats and soups instead. There's nothing more satisfying or seductive when it's cold outside.

This fragrant stew is one of my winter favourites. Serve with rice or noodles and stir-fried Chinese greens.

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, quartered

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled

• 5cm piece of fresh ginger

• piece of fresh galangal if you can get it; if not, double the ginger

• 1 large red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

• olive oil, for frying

• 2 red chillies, split in two

• 2tsp ground coriander

• 2tsp ground cinnamon

• 1tsp ground cloves

• 1tsp ground turmeric

• 1.1kg casserole beef, cubed

• 4 cans coconut milk

• 1 stick lemon grass

• salt

Directions

1) Put the onion, garlic, ginger, galangal and pepper in a blender or food processor and process to make a purée.

2) Heat some oil in a heavy-based pan and fry the paste for a couple of minutes.

3) Stir in the chillies, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric and cook for two minutes more. Coat the meat in the paste.

4) Add the coconut milk, lemon grass and salt and bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat is tender. The sauce should be rich and thick. If it is too thin, increase the heat and reduce it down for a few minutes.