History of Rendang, Singapore River & Minangkabau Life Philosophy

Garuda Nasi Padang, Jakarta, IndonesiaWhen Raffles landed at the left bank of Singapore River mouth in 1819, he was greeted by Temenggong Abdul Rahman of Johor.

Image credit: The Bute Archive at Mount StuartRaffles landed near the door step of the Temenggong's palace (marked V ) at Singapore River. Singapura then was indeed the proverbial fishing village.

Replica of the Johor sultan's palace in Lingga, RiauThe sultan of Johor ruled from his capital Lingga in the Riau, and Singapura was then just a backwater. Sultan Hussein of the Johor sultanate travelled from Lingga to Singapore, to meet Raffles and sign the river agreement allowing the British East India Company to set up a trading post on Singapore River.

Deer rendang of royal banquetWe are not sure if Sultan Hussein hosted Raffles to a royal banquet - it was customary for the sultan to host visiting foreign dignitaries to a palace banquet. We don't know because Raffles never wrote home about it 😂 Raffles was not a foodie - he never wrote anything about the food he tasted, despite his extensive travels. 

Barking deer. Image credit: WikipediaIf he was hosted, one of the dishes Raffles would have been served would be rendang made with deer hunted from the forests of Singapura. Deer was abundant in Singapore forests and deer hunting was a popular sport at the time. Not a pretty dish but considered a delicacy in the Johor sultanate (actually, today also throughout Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia).

Image credit: WikipediaRendang is a dish originally from the Minangkabau heartland of west Sumatra. Minangkabau society is matrilineal i.e. heredity rights to land etc., are passed down through the females of the family. In addition, Minangkabau people are only allowed to marry people outside their clan.

Minangkabau people come from West Sumatra province of Indonesia. Image credit: WikipediaIt is therefore customary for Minangkabau men to "marantau" meaning "travel from coast to coast" to find their own piece of sky. That's why Minangkabau communities are found throughout Sumatra, Java and the Malay peninsula. And, where there are Minangkabau people, there is rendang because it is the Minangkabau way to preserve meat for travelling. In written records, it was already served in Malacca sultanate banquets in the 15th century.

Singapore's first president Yusof Ishak in 1965. Image credit: National Archives of SingaporeBesides cuisine, Minangkabau people are influential wherever they go. For example, Singapore's first president Yusof Ishak, and composer of our national anthem Zubir Said were Minangkabau. Sultan of Johor, Abdul Jalil Rahmat Shah also known as Rajah Kecil (reign 1718 - 1722) was a Minangkabau prince from Siak in central Sumatra. Rajah Kecil usurped the Johor throne claiming he is a son of the assassinated Sultan Mahmud Shah II (reign 1685 - 1699). Rajah Kecil was Sultan of Johor till he was driven back to Siak by the Bugis in 1725.

Minangkabau women carrying food on their head in Sumatra 1870s. Image credit: WikipediaMinangkabau people cook rendang during ceremonies and celebratory events. It is served as the head dish.

Padang Melang Festival in the Anambas Islands of IndonesiaIn Minangkabau culture, rendang embodies the values of wisdom, patience and perseverance. Wisdom in choices (of ingredients), patience (in not rushing the cooking process) and perseverance (in upholding tradition even when it is difficult). These three values - wisdom in setting good goals and plans, patience to invest the time to achieve the goal and perseverance to overcome any obstacles - is the Minangkabau philosophy of life. Rendang is believed to be derived from Indian curries (curry is known as gulai in Indonesia) which were introduced to the Minangkabau people by Indian traders around 1000AD.

Screen grab from CNN VideoRendang is much easier to describe than to cook. It's made of spices and aromatics like lemon grass, shallot, pandan leaf, cumin, galangal, turmeric, coriander seed, candlenut, ginger, curry leaf, bay leaf, chili, garlic etc and meat (beef, lamb, chicken etc) stewed in coconut milk.

Image credit: WikipediaThe word "rendang" is a noun derived from the verb "merendang" which means cooking slowly till all the liquids are evaporated. The meat (beef, lamb, chicken, etc) is stewed over slow fire in coconut milk and spices till all the water in the coconut milk is evaporated and rendered into coconut oil. All the richness in the coconut milk and spices are infused into every fibre of the meat. This takes at least 3 hours and the chef has to constantly stir and turn the contents in the pot or wok to prevent them from burning.

Garuda Nasi Padang, JakartaWhen done, rendang meat sitting in a pool of spice coloured oil, is dark with caramelised sugars and spices outside.

Putri Minang Nasi Padang in Tanjung Pinang, Riau, IndosnesiaThe meat inside is moist and the bite is chewy though not as stiff as jerky. All the spice and coconut flavours, and aromas saturated in the fibres through hours of slow stewing burst out with every bite.

JJ Nasi Padang in Johor BahruDon't cook it quite as long, leave some coconut milk in the spicy stew and the beef comes up softer, juicier with no less flavour and aroma. Rendang in Malaysia and Singapore lean on this softer type known as kalio (or wet rendang). Some rendang are on the dryer, chewy side; others are more juicy and tender inside. But, it is never, never crispy outside 🤦‍♂️ Chewy or tender, a good rendang is a special kind of pleasure.

Jackson Plan 1823. Image credit: WikipediaIn the Jackson Plan (also known as Raffles Town Plan) of 1823, the fishing village and Temenggong's palace were "re-zoned" into a civic square known as Empress Place.

Image credit: National Archives of SingaporeEmpress Place by the 1920s was chock-a-block with grand British colonial administrative buildings.

Image credit: WikipediaThe villagers were relocated east to the Muslim enclave where the Arab Campong (village) and Bugis Campong were located. The Sultan of Johor built a palace and mosque here known as Istana Kampung Glam and Sultan Mosque.

View of Kampung Glam from Hotel BossToday, Kampung Glam is still an important centre for Muslim and Malay heritage-cultural activities and events.

View of Kampung Glam from Hotel BossKampung Glam is the go to place for Minangkabau cuisine in Singapore.

Nasi Padang PariamanBeef rendang is one of the array of dishes in nasi Padang shops.

Nasi Padang PariamanThere are many different types of rendang. One of my favourite is beef spleen rendang. The soft offal soaks up spices and all its flavours like wet sponge. What are your favourite types of rendang and where do you get them? References: Rendang: The Treasure of Minangkabau Date: 20 Jul 2020

👆 Get to know Singapore through its food. Image credit: Wikipedia