Daging Roedjak

This was all that was left of the Indian (not Native American here, but Indonesian/ Malaysian) stew I made based on a recipe in the old cookbook. It took some time to cook, and next time I'll make a double batch to freeze or eat the next day, as these dishes develop their flavours over time.
The connection with the Netherlands stems from the old colonial days which is why there are quite a few recipes in the book, together with a glossary Dutch-Malaysian. The recipes given are meant to be part of an Indonesian "rijsttafel", which you share with a number of people. Usually you'll find some kind of rice (nasi) or noodle (bami) dish accompanied by meat and vegetables like sate (kambing=goat or ayam = chicken), gado gado, roedjak, babi ketjap, ikan kemirie, daging rendang, daging smoor, telor kerry, ayam pangang, sajoer lodeh, sambal goreng boontjes (green beans). All this and sometimes more, together with atjar tjampoer (sweet and sour cabbage), seroendeng (toasted nuts and coconut), kroepoek and various sorts of sambal.
I only made one of these, I'm sure you'll understand why.... ;-)

Daging Rendang:
1) 2 lombok = red chilipeppers
2 bawang merah = onions
1 tbs sambal badjak
2 bawang poetih = garlic cloves

2) 1.1/2 kgs of beef in cubes (lean stewing beef?)

3) 1 tbs ketoembar = coriander
2 ts djinten = cumin
2 tbs gula djawa = palmsugar or dark muscovado sugar
1 ts salt
1 ts sereh = lemongrass (or use 2 fresh stalks only the white and crushed)
6 djeroek peroet = dried kafferlime leaves
500 ml santen or more = coconutmilk

You could of course use a tjobek and oelekan (pestle and mortar) to grind and combine the ingredients in no.1) but I used my magimix to mix a paste. Add some water if needed. Fry this paste for a minute or two in some -peanut- oil to bring out the flavours. Add the beef and fry for a couple of minutes. Now add all the ingredients mentioned under 3) and add the coconut milk. Simmer over low/medium heat for about 2 hours or more, you will want a very tender beef that will fall apart nicely when prodded with a fork. Please make sure you stir and adjust the heat, because the oil in the coconut milk will separate, float to the top and the meat might stick to the bottom of your pot.
The simmering will give you a fragrant browned beef in a thick spicy sauce. I love this with rice and stir-fried vegetables, oh and some sweet and sour cucumber for which you'll need: a thinly sliced cucumber, sirop made of 3 tbs of boiling water in which you dissolve 2 tbs sugar and reduce. Then add 2 tbs (or a splash) of plain white vinegar, pour over the cucumber and let cool. Kaffir lime leaves or Citroenblad or Djeroek Peroet