Beef curry

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 90 mins

Curry is often a family favourite, but rather than ordering a take away why not try the healthier option and make your own.

500g stewing steak – cut into bite size chunks
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 medium onions – chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves of garlic, crushed (you can use 1 if you prefer less garlic flavour)
2 tsp chopped fresh root ginger
2 level tsp tumeric
1 level tsp crushed dried chilli or chilli powder
200g natural yogurt
150ml tap water
30g grated creamed coconut
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a fairly big casserole dish (one that has a lid). Add the onion and cook over a medium heat to soften for 4-5 minutes.

Turn the heat up to full and add the cubes of beef in batches – brown them on all sides.

Using a pestle and mortar, crush the coriander seeds and cumin along with the cardamom pods. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, use a bowl and the end of a rolling pin instead. Next add the crushed spices to the meat.

Stir in the ginger, garlic, chilli and turmeric and cook for a minute or two before adding the water and yogurt and the water. Season with a little salt and then stir well to ensure all ingredients are well combined.

Put the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting allowing the curry to simmer to 90 minutes. Give it a stir from time to time to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot. If it starts to stick add a little more water.

The finished cooking, stir in the creamed coconut. Place the lid back on the pot and cook again on the lowest possible setting for another 10 minutes.

The meat should be really tender – at this stage, taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper as required.

Serve with fluffy rice, nan bread and mango chutney.

Serves
4

Preparation Time
20 minutes

Cooking Time
90 minutes

Main ingredients
Beef, Pasta & Noodles, Vegetables

Recipe Type
Dinner, One Pot, Curry

Cuisine
Asian, Indian

Special Info
Egg free

Level of Difficulty
Easy

This isn’t a very wet curry – if you prefer a wetter curry, add in a tin of chopped tomatoes when adding the water and yogurt.

Our recipe tester found that the recipes was a little too spicy for her girls (although her husband loved it) so she added a little extra yogurt to cool it down for them.

She also dry roasted the seeds on a frying pan before crushing them and felt that added to the flavour.