Daging Masak Kacang - spiced beef with peanuts

Ingredients

• 300 gbeef
• 1red chilli
• 1green chilli
• 1Indonesian bay leaf (daun salam)
• 1 tspkecap manis
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tbsppalm sugar
• 400 mlwater
• 50 gpeanuts
• 1 tbspoil
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 3red chillies
• 1red bird’s eye chilli
• 2kaffir limes (jeruk purut)
• ½ tspshrimp paste
• 1 cmkencur (fingerroot)
• ½ tsptamarind
• 100 gpeanuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients

   Slice the beef. Cut the red and green chillies into slanting rings, and roughly chop the 50 g peanuts.

2. 2

   Make the spice paste

   Pound or grind the garlic, red chillies, bird’s eye chilli, kaffir limes, shrimp paste, kencur, tamarind and 100 g peanuts into a fine paste.

3. 3

   Fry the paste

   Heat the oil in a pan and fry the spice paste for 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add chillies and leaf

   Add the sliced chillies and Indonesian bay leaf, then fry for 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Brown and simmer

   Add the beef and fry until browned. Pour in the water and add the kecap manis, salt and palm sugar. Simmer gently until the beef is cooked.

6. 6

   Stir in peanuts

   Stir in the chopped peanuts and serve.

What is Daging Masak Kacang?

Daging Masak Kacang is an Indonesian beef dish whose name refers to meat cooked with peanuts. It brings together a chilli-rich spice paste, a sweet-savoury seasoning and peanuts for a substantial, aromatic stew.

This version builds flavour by frying the ground bumbu first, then simmering the beef in water until cooked. Peanuts go in at the end, so they retain some texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The beef supplies most of the protein, while the peanuts contribute fat, protein and some carbohydrate; palm sugar and kecap manis add further carbohydrate. Serve it with a moderate portion of rice and a generous side of vegetables to balance the plate.

The spice paste

A fine paste: grind the garlic, chillies, kaffir limes, shrimp paste, kencur, tamarind and peanuts together as instructed. A fairly even grind helps the paste cook uniformly when fried.

Chillies: the recipe uses both red chillies and a bird’s eye chilli in the paste, as well as fresh red and green chillies later. Keep the quantities as written for the intended layered chilli flavour.

Build flavour in the pan

Fry the paste: give it the full 3 minutes in the hot oil, stirring as needed so it cooks without catching. This is the first cooking stage for the aromatics.

Add the leaf: fry the chillies and Indonesian bay leaf for a further 2 minutes before adding the beef. This keeps the method’s stages distinct and lets the ingredients meet in the pan before the simmer.

Simmer until the beef is cooked

Brown the beef: cook it in the fried paste until its surfaces have changed colour. Add the water and seasonings only after this stage.

Gentle heat: once the water, kecap manis, salt and palm sugar are in, let the beef simmer slowly. The recipe gives no fixed simmering time, so use the beef’s tenderness and doneness as your cue.

Keep the peanuts textured

The 100 g of peanuts are ground into the bumbu, while the separate 50 g are chopped coarsely. This gives the sauce a nutty base as well as distinct pieces to bite into.

Stir in the chopped peanuts after the beef has cooked, as the method directs. That way, they are less likely to lose their texture during the simmer.

Serving ideas

Serve the beef and its sauce with steamed rice, which makes a simple base for the savoury, sweet and spicy flavours. Add a vegetable side such as lightly cooked greens to round out the plate.

Spoon the sauce over the beef and distribute the peanuts between portions. If serving with rice, account for it separately when tracking the meal.

Recipe notes & tips

• Slice the beef evenly so the pieces cook at a similar rate.
• Grind the bumbu thoroughly for a smooth, evenly flavoured base.
• Stir the paste while frying to help prevent it catching on the pan.
• Keep the simmer gentle once the water and seasonings are added.
• Add the chopped peanuts at the end to preserve their texture.

Variations

• Milder heat: Use fewer chillies in the paste while keeping the other ingredients the same.
• Extra heat: Add more bird’s eye chilli to the bumbu.
• Rice pairing: Serve with steamed rice to soak up the sauce.
• More vegetables: Add a side of cooked greens for freshness alongside the rich stew.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the paste: Fry it for the full 3 minutes, stirring so it cooks evenly.
• Skipping the browning: Fry the beef in the paste until browned before adding the water.
• Boiling hard: Keep the stew at a gentle simmer so the beef cooks steadily.
• Adding chopped peanuts too early: Stir them in once the beef is cooked to retain more texture.
• Grinding unevenly: Continue pounding or grinding until the bumbu is a fine paste.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over a gentle heat until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Frequently asked questions