Ingredient appreciation — what makes Rendang special

What sets Rendang apart is the handling of candlenut. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the deeply spiced with galangal and lemongrass result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Indonesian cuisine spans over 17,000 islands with dramatically different regional traditions. The a Padang restaurant with displayed dishes atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had jamu herbal drink as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Rendang is the place to start.