Padang-Style Beef Tendon Curry

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A signature West Sumatran dish of slow-braised beef tendon simmered in a richly spiced coconut milk broth. The aromatics—lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and chilies—layer deep flavor into the collagen-rich tendon until silky and tender. Served with steamed rice or ketupat, it is a beloved comfort curry across Padang warungs.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 615 kcalCalories
• 38 gFat
• 20 gSaturated Fat
• 14 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 52 gProtein
• 640 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 120 mgCalcium
• 5 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 85 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the spice paste

• 6 large shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 garlic cloves
• 3 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 cm piece fresh galangal, peeled
• 6 fresh red chilies, seeded if desired
• 8 candlenuts, toasted
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

For the curry

• 800 g beef tendon, cleaned and cut into 4 cm pieces
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and tied
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 Indonesian bay leaves (salam)
• 1 Indonesian dried tamarind block (asam jawa), or 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 400 ml thick coconut milk
• 500 ml water
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• Steamed jasmine rice or ketupat, to serve

Directions

1. Parboil the tendon pieces in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes; drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside. This removes impurities and tightens the texture before the long braise.
2. Combine all spice paste ingredients in a blender or mortar and pestle and grind to a smooth, thick paste, adding a splash of water if needed to help the blades catch.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the spice paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 6–8 minutes until fragrant, darkened in color, and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
4. Tie the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and salam leaves into a bouquet; drop into the pot along with the tamarind block. Stir for 1 minute to coat in the paste.
5. Pour in the coconut milk and water, add the parboiled tendon, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 90–110 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tendon is fork-tender and the gravy has thickened.
6. Skim excess oil off the surface if you prefer a lighter broth, then season with salt and palm sugar. Taste and adjust; pull out the tamarind block and herb bundle.
7. Let the curry rest off the heat for 10 minutes so the gravy clings to the tendon. Spoon over steamed rice or alongside ketupat, drizzling the rich coconut broth over each portion.

Cook’s Notes

• Use a pressure cooker to cut the braising time to about 45 minutes under high pressure for equally tender results.
• Always toast the candlenuts briefly in a dry pan before grinding; this deepens their nutty aroma.
• For a brighter finish, squeeze in a wedge of lime just before serving to lift the richness of the coconut broth.
• Buy tendon that is already cleaned (lemaknya sudah dibuang) to save prep time, or blanch thoroughly and scrape any fat before dicing.
• Leftover curry tastes even better the next day as the spices continue to penetrate the tendon; reheat gently with a splash of water.

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