recipes

Ingredients
500g of good Beef cut into required size

for marinating beef
2 tablespoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon of tamarind(soaked in 1/2 cup warm water)
Salt 1/2-1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 large onions finely sliced
2 large green chilli
1 medium-sized tomato chopped(optional)

For tempering the beef
5-6 tablespoons of oil
Handful of curry leaves
a large piece of pandan leaf
1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
1-2 inch piece of cinnamon
4 slightly bruised Cardamom
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
1 tablespoon of minced garlic

To make the beef gravy
3 cups of thin coconut milk(how-to make, written above)
1/2 to 1 cup of thick milk(1/2 cup of coconut milk if you want less gravy, 1 cup if you want more gravy)

Instructions
Before you begin making the beef curry, chop, slice and have all the ingredients ready.
How to marinate the beef.
Place the beef in a large bowl, add chilli powder(2 tbs), turmeric(1tsp), coriander(1 and 1/2tbs), curry powder(1tsp), tamarind juice(1 tbsp), salt, sugar(1tsp), a few slices of onions, green chillies and tomato(optional)to the beef.
Mix all the ingredients well with the beef until the spices are completely coating them.
Using your hands is preferable but if you are sensitive to red chilli, I would suggest using disposable gloves(you have been warned).
Let the beef marinate for 12-15 minutes.
How to cook the beef curry.

Place a large pan(a clay pot if you can find one)over a low-medium fire.
Let the pan heat for a few minutes. 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the oil and leave it to heat for a few seconds, then add the curry leaves and pandan leaf.
let them cook until they sizzle while releasing their aroma. 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add mustard(1/4tsp), fenugreek(1tsp), onions, green chillies, cinnamon(1-2inch), cardamom(4), ginger and garlic paste(1tbs each).
Follow the given order of adding ingredients, it’s important to maintain low heat so the mustard seeds don’t burn too quickly and turn bitter.
Make sure you are constantly mixing the ingredients and temper until onions turn slightly brown.
Once the tempering is done, add the marinated beef(500g) to it.
Stir and combine all the ingredients in the pan with the beef, increase heat to medium and cook till the liquid from the beef and tamarind turn to a thick sauce.
constantly stir.
five minutes later, reduce heat to low and pour in the thin milk(3cups) to the pan.
Cover the pan with a lid(not completely though) and let the beef simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the thin milk is reduced completely. check if the meat is tender before following the next step.
(sometimes it’s just the cut of the meat or the way you cut the meat that will cause the meat to toughen if this happens just add another cup of water and let it simmer longer until the meat is soft).

Pour in the thick coconut milk, remove the lid and let the curry simmer over low heat for a further 20-30 minutes or until the gravy thickens and you will notice dots of oil appear on the surface of the gravy.

Taste and season the gravy if necessary.

Serve warm with your favourite dishes.