Serunding Daging — Malaysian Coconut Beef Floss

Cut the beef into large pieces and place them in a pot with 1.5 liters water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, then reduce the heat and cook until the meat separates into fibers when pressed with a fork. Do not discard the cooking liquid; you will use some of it in the next step.

Let the meat cool until easy to handle, then pull it into fine strands with two forks or your hands. Split any thick strands again; the fine texture is essential to serunding, and thick pieces become tough when toasted.

Remove the stems from the dried chiles and soften them in hot water. Blend the shallots, garlic, galangal, the white lower part of the lemongrass, and the drained chiles into a paste. Add the ground coriander, cumin, and fennel. Heat the oil in a wide wok or heavy-bottomed skillet and fry the paste until oil separates around the edges.

Add the grated coconut and stir for 5 minutes. Add the shredded beef, coconut sugar, tamarind paste, salt, and 200 ml of the cooking liquid. The mixture will be moist and deep orange at this stage.

Reduce the heat and cook, stirring constantly. The mixture will go from wet to paste-like and finally become fluffy and dry. To check that it is done, squeeze a pinch in your palm: it should not hold together as a clump, and should fall apart when you release it. The bottom of the pan should show no trace of moisture. The color should be dark brown, not black.

Spread the mixture on a wide tray and let it cool completely; sealing it while hot will trap steam and make it damp. Transfer it to an airtight jar and refrigerate. Use within 2 weeks. For longer storage, divide it into portions and freeze.