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If you’re in the mood for a rich, aromatic stew, Malaysian Lamb Rendang is the way to go! This easy recipe will show you how to make a delicious rendang with tender lamb and a blend of spices that’ll have your taste buds dancing.
Slow Cooker Lamb Rendang
It’s been years since I posted my Beef Rendang recipe, and I’m still getting questions about swapping proteins, different cooking methods, and spice mixes for the paste. It’s been awesome to see how people have been experimenting with this dish, especially after Rendang made it to CNN’s “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods.” list last year.
For those who haven’t tried it, Rendang is a rich, mildly spicy, and aromatic stew that’s beloved in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. South-East Asian stews and curries are unique, each with its own distinctive flavors and names. Rendang, Panang Curry, Kari Ayam (Malaysian Chicken Curry), Massaman Curry—just to name a few—are all delicious variations that highlight different spice blends and cooking methods. Each one is special in its own right, and they all bring something unique to the table! It’s a dish that’s often served at weddings and festive gatherings, and it’s really special to me. I can still remember watching my mom measure out the spices using her traditional brass kitchen scales—it’s a memory that makes this recipe even more personal.
Every Rendang is a little different, thanks to the spices and the crucial reduction process. This version uses lamb and adds a small twist to the spice blend. For the first time, I’m cooking it in a slow cooker—a method I hadn’t tried before. And honestly, it turned out just as amazing as the stovetop version.
If you’re ready to try it, let’s get into this easy Lamb Rendang recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender, flavorful lamb. The boneless lamb in this recipe is slow-cooked to tender perfection. The low and slow method allows the lamb to soak up all those delicious spices, making every bite melt-in-your-mouth good.
- Aromatic, flavor-packed spices. This recipe is bursting with incredible flavors, thanks to the combination of kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, turmeric, and other spices. The aroma while it cooks? It’s irresistible!
- Hands-off cooking with the slow cooker. Forget about standing over the stove for hours. With the slow cooker, you can set it and forget it, letting the flavors come together without all the fuss.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lamb – You can swap it for beef to make Beef Rendang or chicken to make Chicken Rendang.
- Oil – Use vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Turmeric leaf – f you can’t find fresh turmeric leaf, don’t worry—you can skip it.
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Lemongrass
- Coconut milk – I used full-fat coconut milk.
- Desiccated coconut – If you can’t find it, shredded coconut works just fine—just be sure to toast it lightly for the best flavor.
- Salt and sugar
Spice Paste
- Oil
- Dried red chilis
- Fresh red chilis
- Lemongrass
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Galangal
- Coriander seeds
- Candlenut
- Tamarind paste
- Turmeric powder
- Salt
- Sugar
For all the ingredient details, be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Malaysian Lamb Rendang
Alright, first, plug in your crock pot or slow cooker and set it to High. Then, grab your food processor and blend all the Spice Paste ingredients until everything’s finely mixed. Scoop it out and set it aside. Don’t forget to season your lamb cubes with a pinch of salt, then set them aside too!
Next, heat up some oil in a wok. Once it’s hot, toss in the turmeric leaf and kaffir lime leaves. Stir them around until they start smelling all kinds of amazing!
Now, turn the heat down to medium-high. Add in your blended Spice Paste and stir it around for about 5 minutes, or until it starts smelling even better and the color deepens.
Now, toss in the lamb cubes and give everything a good stir. Let it cook for about 5 minutes until the lamb gets nice and browned and is all coated in that delicious spice mixture.
Next, pour in the coconut milk and the toasted coconut, and bring it to a quick boil. Once it’s bubbling, turn off the heat and carefully transfer everything from the wok into your crock pot. Cover it up, set it to cook, and let it braise for about 1 1/2 hours until the lamb is super tender and full of all those amazing flavors.
Alright, now go ahead and remove the cover, and give everything a good stir. Check to make sure it’s not too dry and that the lamb is as tender as you want it. This should take about 1 to 1 ½ hours, but just make sure it’s cooked through. Once it’s good, turn off the heat and unplug the crock pot. Let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour—this helps the sauce thicken up a little. And boom, your Lamb Rendang is ready to serve! Just pair it with some steamed white rice or coconut rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is 1054 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Malaysian Lamb Rendang
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Malaysian Lamb Rendang
Equipment
- 1 Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (750g) boneless leg of lamb, or beef or chicken, cut into cubes
- 7 tablespoons oil
- 1/4 piece turmeric leaf, optional, thinly shredded
- 10 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 2-inch length (5 cm)
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut, lightly toasted
- salt and sugar to taste
Spice Paste:
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 10 dried red chilis, soaked in warm water and seeds removed
- 5 fresh red chilis, seeds removed
- 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, lightly smashed
- 7 shallots , or 1 small red onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 inch (1cm) ginger, peeled
- 1/2 inch (1cm) galangal, lengkuas, peeled
- 1 teaspoon corriander seeds
- 1 candlenut, lightly smashed
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Plug in the crock pot or slow cooker and set it to High. Blend all the Spice Paste ingredients in a food processor until finely mixed. Scoop it out and set aside. Season the lamb cubes with a little salt and set them aside as well.
- In a wok, heat up some oil and stir-fry the turmeric leaf and kaffir lime leaves until fragrant.
- Turn heat to slightly medium-high, add blended Spice Paste, stir-fry until fragrant, or until color changes for 5 minutes.
- Add the lamb cubes to the wok and stir well, cooking for an additional 5 minutes until the lamb is browned and coated with the spice mixture.
- Pour in the coconut milk and toasted coconut, bringing the mixture to a quick boil. Turn off the heat and transfer all the contents from the wok into the crock pot. Cover and braise for 1 1/2 hours until the lamb is tender and infused with flavors.
- Remove the pot cover and stir the contents, checking that the dish isn't too dry and that the lamb is tender to your liking. This should take about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is perfectly tender. Turn off the heat and unplug the crock pot, allowing the dish to sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. During this time, the sauce will reduce and thicken slightly. Your Lamb Rendang is now ready to serve with steamed white rice or coconut rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
one of the best rendang recipes i have made….made for my staff over rays…amazing.
Thanks for trying this rendang recipe!
Hi Bee, My crock pot has a low and high temperature setting. Which one should I use? And for how long? Thanks!
Hey Bee,
It’s me again! :-) YES, I just made this again – 4th time now, I gotta say your rendang recipe is the best ever! Did two portions this time, one beef and one lamb – coz my boss doesn’t eat beef, so that’s why did the lamb and bringing it into the office on Tuesday.
Your recipe has made me the Rendang Queen. :-))
Thanks heaps!!!!! xoxo
Hi Emmeline, that’s great to know! Thanks for trying my rendang recipe.
I left the lamb in the slow cooker for 1.5 hours, but it was not super tender. Maybe its like pork where it can get a little tough at first, but if you cook it longer it will eventually relax and become tender? I also used chunks of lamb leg meat so maybe that is a bit tougher? Also, after the cooking, there was still SO much liquid that it never evaporated really.
Cook longer and also you can reduce the liquid by transferring it out and finish in a pot.
Can I subsitute coconut milk with youghurt?
Yes.
Hi Bee, thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! I have been trying to replicate this dish ever since I tasted it at my fav nasi padang stall. Went through many recipe books without success until I stumbled upon your site. Now I can make this dish anytime my craving strikes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Simply fantastic, great recipe! I also ate way to much, it was painful :-) Thanks from Oslo
Thanks Bee, for this recipe. I love your blog and made this recently in a church dinner. My friends love it! One of my friends even said ‘it tastes like homeeee!’ God Bless you
Thanks!
Hi Bee,
I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to you for teaching us this recipe on the Beef Rendang. I made this for our church group’s Easter picnic (mind you, all the aunties and uncles in this group are very experienced cooks in their own right!) and they all raved that my rendang was amazing! What a great feeling that was. I can’t take all the credit, as I have to accredit that to your well crafted recipe and guidance.
I followed your instructions carefully, but I also added more chillies, and doubled the portions of overall ingredients as I was cooking for 32 people who could stomach very spicy Asian food. Haha! When they found out I made my own rempah, they were astounded! LoL!
Thank you so much for your generous sharing of recipes and dedication to this website, and your uncompromising commitment to preserving authenticity, especially in Nonya cooking and other traditional recipes (in a world that has one too many quick and adulterated shortcuts these days) which is something I truly respect and admire, and hope you will keep up! :-))
Looking forward to impressing others with more of your recipes!
P.S. So glad your website is back to normal and no more Deer Hunter app game advertisement banners popping up on your home page! Eek, hope I didn’t jinx this by saying it… hehe… ;-)
Warm Regards,
Emmeline.
Thanks for your sweet comment. Glad that the Deer Hunter app is gone. :)
I don’t have a slow-cooker, what would you recommend in terms of cooking times/heat etc.?
Thanks!