Beef Curry (Kerala Style)

I want to wish you and your loved ones a "Great Holiday Season and a Happy New Year." As this is the last post of 2017, I can't help but feel a little nostalgic and sentimental about the year gone by. I guess the last week of December in any year has that effect on people. :-) I started this blog in April 2017 and I was determined to post a new recipe every week. I am happy to report I have done so successfully and I am quite pleased with myself. For those of you wondering what's the big deal in this rather low achievement, I'd like to share that I have been trying to write a blog and post consistently for the last seven or so years. This is the first time I have planned my blog posts in advance, written them diligently and published them consistently. Yay! for me. And a big thank-you to all you lovely people who visit me here and read what I have to say.... Bless you guys!

Now coming back to the recipe below, which by the way has no connection whatsoever to my ramblings above, is one of my all time favourites. This dish makes a fairly regular appearance in my elder sister's (Anita) home. And obviously if I am visiting it is a part of the menu for one of the meals. What I particularly like about this preparation is the number of spices that come together to create this delightful spicy curry. As always, please use the number of chillies, cinnamon and peppercorns as per your spice tolerance. You may also use your discretion in using ginger and garlic. This dish is fiery hot if prepared with the exact measurements given below. It is a very popular dish in Kerala. Enjoy!

Recipe credit: Ms Anita Arakal

Ingredients:

1. Beef - 1 kg (cubed into 1 inch pieces)
2. Oil - 3 -4 tbsp (as required)
3. Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
4. Curry leaves - 3 sprigs (roughly 25 leaves)
5. Onions - 3 big sized (roughly chopped)
6. Green chilly - 4 nos ( roughly chopped)
7. Garlic - 25 flakes (finely chopped)
8. Ginger - 2 and 1/2 inch piece (finely chopped)
9. Red Chilly powder - 1and 1/2 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
11. Coriander powder - 2 and 1/2 tbsp
12. Bay leaves - 3 nos
13. Vinegar - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
14. Methi (fenugreek) seeds - 1/4 tsp (roasted and ground)
15. Coconut - 1 and 1/2 cup (thinly sliced into 1/2 inch bits)

Spice Mix coarsely ground:

1. Cinnamon - 7 one inch sticks
2. Cloves - 6 nos
3. Cardamom - 6 nos
4. Cumin - 1 tsp
5. Aniseed (Saunf) - 1 tsp
6. Peppercorns - 10 nos

Method:

1. Wash and drain the meat. Apply salt and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they stop spluttering, add the curry leaves, onions and green chilies. Fry till the onion are brown.
3. Add the chopped ginger and garlic, and continue frying for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the ground spice mix, the powders, bay leaves, meat and vinegar. Mix well.
5. Cook till the meat is done. This should take about twenty to thirty minutes depending on how tender the meat is.
6. While the meat is cooking, fry the coconut bits in oil till they change the color. Add a pinch of turmeric powder to this. Keep this aside.
7. Dry roast the methi seeds and and powder it. You can use a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle to do this.
8. When the meat is cooked, adjust the consistency of the curry. It should ideally be a thick gravy. Add the fried coconut and methi powder. Mix well. Put off the flame after about two minutes.

This curry goes well with steamed rice, appams and dosas.