What's the difference between rendang, gulai, and pindang?

Rendang has to go through three cooking stages before it can actually be accurately called rendang. — ILI SULAIMAN

According to food historian Khir Johari, Malay gravy dishes can be split into two broad groups: gulai - which is often infused with coconut milk – and clear broths.

“'Curry’ is an Anglicised word introduced by the British in India to simplify everything. But to explain it to a younger generation, gulai is essentially the Malay word for ‘curry’,” says Khir.