Special spices are sautéed in coconut oil, ground and then added to Beef chunks with Ginger & Garlic, curry leaves and salt. The beef is then added to an aromatic mix of onions, spices and tomatoes and cooked till the meat is tender.

I love me a good flavorful curry. This recipe is all that and more. Packed with a punch, this curry is all that and more. The best part is that this is a very inexpensive cut of Beef so perfect to serve a big family. If you don’t eat Beef this can be made with Mutton or Lamb as well. It also gets it’s intense flavor from the curry leaves.

The curry leaf tree is native to the sub continent. The leaves are used in cooking, they are aromatic and have an intense aroma. It’s not unsual to find these leaves in asian grocery stores in North America and are very inexpensive to buy. You can freeze or dry the curry leaf but it is always best used fresh.

Because this recipe is pressure cooked, you can use the cheapest cut of meat like stewing or flank and still get an incredibly tender morsel!

Kerala Beef Curry

3.22 from 14 votes
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Ingredients
  

Beef & Marinade

  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1.5 tbsps Coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds
  • 6 dried Chillies
  • 2 tbsps crushed fresh Ginger & Garlic
  • 1 lb – 907 gms Beef cubes
  • 8-10 Curry leaves
  • Salt to taste

Garnish

  • 2 tbsps Coconut Oil
  • 1/2 cup sliced Onions
  • Pinch Salt
  • 20 curry leaves and
  • 2 tbsps sliced green Chillies

Masala

  • 1 cup sliced Onions
  • 1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds
  • 2 tbsps of the pounded Ginger & Garlic
  • 10 curry leaves
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 cups diced Tomatoes
  • Salt to taste
  • 500 ml hot Water

Instructions
 

  • To make the marinade for the beef, heat the oil and add the coriander & fennel seeds and the dried chillies
  • Remove, cool and grind
  • Add this masala to the beef cubes with the ginger and garlic and tear the curry leaves and add them
  • Add salt to taste and rub this into the meat
  • Marinate for 30 mins to overnight
  • To save time, brown the onions for the garnish and masala together – heat the coconut oil and all ALL the onions and brown using a pinch of salt
  • Remove 1 cup and leave aside and continue to brown the other half cup of onions
  • Add the 20 curry leaves and the green chillies and saute
  • Remove and keep aside
  • In the remaining oil in the same wok or kadai, add the onions previously removed and add the fennel seeds, ginger and garlic. Curry leaves, Garam Masala and turmeric and mix well
  • Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt to help break down the tomatoes
  • Once the tomatoes have cooked down a bit add all the marinated beef and cook for about 5 mins to give the masala a chance to coat the meat
  • Add 500 ml of hot water and mix well
  • Add Salt to taste
  • You can either cook this low and slow on your stovetop for an hr or so till the gravy is thick and the beef tender OR you can cook it in your Instant Pot for 20 mins OR in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker for 6 whistles
  • Once the beef is tender and the gravy has reduced down, add some of the garnish onions, curry leaves and green chillies back in and reserve some to top the curry when you serve