Rawon | Beef in Buah Keluak Gravy

My friend Cicilia gifted me some pre-processed buah keluak pulp from Indonesia and I thought I'd finally get down to making rawon! Rich, hearty and bold in flavour - it is the best comfort food, especially when paired with rice.
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Rawon
Serves 4-6

For the rempah:
5 fresh red chillies, roughly cut
35g raw cashews or candlenuts, toasted in a dry pan on low heat to release oils
50g peeled garlic
160g peeled red onions/shallots, roughly cut

20g ginger, peeled and sliced thinly

1. Grind

For the rawon:
1.25 kg beef (preferably brisket or shin), cut into 1.5” chunks
½ tablespoon salt
100g onions, finely sliced
Oil
Rempah (see above)
White parts of 4 lemongrass, bruised
3 Indonesian bay leaves
25g skinless galangal root, bruised
5 kaffir lime leaves
190g buah keluak pulp (you can get prepacked pulp from Tekka Market dried goods section, but if you choose to extract it from the nut, make sure that you soak it for 3 days and process before using)
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp of tamarind pulp (optional - the buah kelauk I was using tasted ‘acidic’ enough so I skipped this)
Salt and sugar to taste

1. In a pot, combine the beef and enough water to cover completely. Bring to a boil. Skim off the scum, add the salt and simmer 1 hour on low heat.
2. Cover the onions with enough oil to mostly submerge. Heat on high heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Pass through a sieve.
3. Pour 100g of the onion-infused oil into a wok.
4. Fry the rempah until the oil splits.
5. Add the lemongrass, bay leaves, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, buah keluak pulp and spices. Fry gently for another 3-5 minutes or until fragrant.
6. Pour the beef, braising liquid, and tamarind pulp (if using) into the wok and stir to combine well.
7. Simmer for another 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender and the gravy has thickened to your desired consistency.
8. Season with salt and sugar to taste.

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