🇮🇩 Indonesia · Food
Dendeng Balado
By eatmundo · August 4, 2026
A flavorful dish of thinly sliced, sun-dried, and fried beef coated in a fiery, chunky chili sambal. It offers a perfect balance of crispy texture and spicy, savory heat.
Ingredients
check them off as you prepareHow to Make It
- 1
Thinly slice 500g of beef against the grain, then pound the slices until they are very thin using a meat mallet.
- 2
Boil the beef in a pot with water until tender, about 30 minutes, then drain and let the slices cool completely.
- 3
Once cooled, fry the beef slices in 1 tbsp of hot oil until they become slightly crisp and dark brown, then set aside.
- 4
Coarsely grind the shallots, garlic, and bird eye chilies in a mortar and pestle to maintain a chunky, textured sambal.
- 5
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the sambal mixture until the raw chili smell disappears, about 4 minutes.
- 6
Stir in the soy sauce, tamarind paste, and salt, simmering for another 2 minutes until the sambal is glossy.
- 7
Add the crispy beef slices back into the pan and toss them vigorously to ensure every slice is generously coated in the chili mixture.
- 8
Serve immediately while hot, ensuring the beef maintains its crisp-chewy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How thin should I slice the beef?+
Slice it as thinly as possible; the thinner the slice, the crispier it will be when fried, which is the hallmark of Dendeng Balado.
Can I skip the drying process?+
Yes, but for an authentic texture, you should air-dry the boiled slices for at least 30 minutes before frying to ensure maximum crispness.
Is the chili too spicy?+
It is quite spicy. You can reduce the number of bird eye chilies or remove the seeds to tone down the heat significantly.
What if the beef is tough?+
Ensure you slice against the grain and pound the meat thoroughly; the pounding breaks down the fibers, resulting in a tender yet crispy bite.
