Tear the dried monkey head mushroom into small bite-sized chunks (they will absorb the water and expand later). Soak in water for 30 minutes, then gently squeeze the mushroom to remove all the liquid. Discard the water, and repeat this two more times.

Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add in the rehydrated mushrooms, cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.

After cooking, I like to rinse the mushrooms in cold water to cool. If there are tough ends, use scissors to cut them off. Very gently, squeeze some of the remaining water, then set them aside

Toss the freshly shredded coconut in some salt, then steam for 10 minutes. In a large pan over medium heat, toast the coconut until golden brown and fragrant. Then blend to get a smooth and thick paste.

Soak dried chili in hot water for 15 minutes, then deseed them thoroughly.

In a blender, combine all the chili paste ingredients with enough water to blend. It's okay if the paste is not completely smooth.

Heat a large pan with oil over medium heat and cook the paste for 5 minutes. Add powdered spices and monkey head mushroom, cook for 2-3 minutes. Add one cup of water, cover the pan partly with a lid and let simmer on low heat until the rendang has dried up a bit. Stir it every so often.

Once the rendang is drier, add in coconut milk, tamarind juice, gula melaka, kerisik and salt to taste. Cover the pan partly with a lid and let simmer on low heat until the rendang reaches your desired consistency.

Serve with nasi lemak, plain rice and other dishes of your choice.