Fragrant Lamb Rendang With Lemongrass Rice

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C (fan)/ gas 4 and heat a hob-safe oven-proof casserole dish (with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil

Wash, then, slice your pak choi in half lengthways and pat dry with kitchen paper, then add to the dish cut-side down and cook for 1-2 min or until browned, transfer a plate and reserve the dish – this is your charred pak choi

Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin, cut down the middle lengthways, remove the tough outer layers and set aside for later, then roughly chop the softer inner core[s]

Peel and quarter your shallot and crush your garlic open by squashing it with the side of a knife and discard the skins

Crush your cardamom pods open by squashing them with the side of a knife and discard the outer green skins

Slice your red chilli[es] finely

Add the cardamom seeds and chopped shallot to a food processor with the crushed garlic and ginger paste

Add half the sliced chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) with your ground cinnamon (not a fan of cinnamon? Only add a little!) and 1 tsp [1 ½ tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and blitz until smooth – this is your rendang paste

Boil a kettle

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat

Once hot, add your diced lamb with 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2tbsp] flour and cook for 3-4 min or until evenly browned

Once browned, add the rendang paste and cook for 2-3 or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add 450ml [580ml] [750ml] boiled water and your cultured coconut with your beef stock mix and fish sauce

Season with a pinch of salt and stir it all together and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, put the dish in the oven and cook, covered, for 55 min or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened – this is your fragrant lamb rendang

Once the lamb has had 45 min, add the charred pak choi to a large piece of tin foil (or two!) with a large splash of cold water

Scrunch the foil around the pak choi to form a tightly sealed parcel[s] and add to a baking tray

Tip: Cooking for 3 or more? Make 2 separate parcels!

Put the tray in the oven for 12-15 min or until the pak choi is tender – this is your cooked pak choi

Add your basmati rice and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid with the outer lemongrass layers and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked – this is your lemongrass rice