Beef in coconut curry Kerala

 

Author: Indira Shyju

Ingredients

For cooking Beef:

• 1kg grass fed Beef cut into small (about 2 inch by 1 inch pieces)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 inch each
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste(see below)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder (omit for AIP)
• 1 med onion thinly sliced
• ½ cup water

For ginger garlic paste:

• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 inch by 2 inch piece of fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the masala paste:

• 1 cup fresh frozen grated coconut (thawed) or organic shredded coconut(unsweetened)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (omit for AIP)
• 2 tbsp fennel seeds (omit for AIP)
• 4-6 black peppercorns (omit for AIP)
• 3 tbsp coriander seeds or powder (omit for AIP)
• ½ cup warm water
• 2 taro root, peeled and cubed
• 2 tsp garam masala 

For tempering:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp mustard seeds 

6-8 fresh curry leaves

Instructions

For making ginger garlic paste:

Blend the ginger, garlic and olive oil in a small food processor jar until smooth. Keep aside.

Cooking the Beef:

Add all ingredients listed under 'For cooking beef' including the ginger garlic paste into pressure cooker or the insert pot of instant pot. If regular pressure cooker, cook till 5 whistles and then turn heat off and let pressure release naturally before opening. For Instant Pot, set Pressure cook for 10 mins. Let pressure release naturally.

While the beef is cooking, heat a frying pan and add the grated coconut or shredded coconut to the pan. Toast the coconut on medium heat stirring frequently (to avoid uneven burning) until all of the coconut is a light brown/ golden brown color and fully toasted (it should feel dry). This will take about 6-8 mins. Now add the other spices if adding and stir fry for another 30 secs and turn heat off. Transfer the coconut and the spices to a food processor jar and add the warm water and blend into a fine paste. Keep aside.

Once the Instant Pot/ Pressure cooker has released all pressure, open the lid and add this ground masala paste to it. Stir to blend this paste into the curry. Nest add the taro root pieces into this and the garam masala (for AIP, add all the spices listed under AIP Garam Masala) and again close the cooker and cook for 1 more whistle (for regular cooker) OR 3 mins for Instant Pot. Release pressure manually.

Finally, in a small pan, heat the coconut oil and when hot add the mustard seeds (if adding). When spluttered, add the fresh curry leaves and turn heat off. Add this tempered coconut oil to the curry.

Serve beef curry with rice or rotis!