Spicy Beef Curry (Printable)
Rich and aromatic curry featuring tender beef in a spicy, deeply flavored sauce with tomatoes, ginger, and warming spices.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 lbs beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
05 - 2 large tomatoes, chopped
06 - 2 green chilies, sliced
07 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
→ Spices
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 - 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
11 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
12 - 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
13 - 1.5 teaspoons chili powder
14 - 1 teaspoon turmeric
15 - 1 teaspoon garam masala
16 - 1 cinnamon stick
17 - 4 whole cloves
18 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Liquids
20 - 1.75 cups beef stock or water
21 - 0.75 cup coconut milk, optional
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds; fry until they start to splutter.
02 - Add onions and sauté until golden brown, approximately 8 minutes.
03 - Stir in garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add ground coriander, ground cumin, chili powder, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom pods. Stir for 1 minute.
05 - Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for 6 to 8 minutes.
06 - Mix in chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes soften, approximately 5 minutes.
07 - Pour in beef stock and coconut milk if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours until beef is very tender. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed.
08 - Uncover, stir in garam masala, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
10 - Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with rice or naan.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The sauce develops this incredibly rich complexity that will have you sopping up every last bit with naan or rice, something I learned after watching my usually reserved father-in-law literally tilt his plate to catch the final drops.
- Its actually better the next day, which means you can impress weekend guests without being trapped in the kitchen when they arrive, a discovery that saved my sanity during countless dinner parties.
02 -
- Never skip browning the beef properly, a mistake I made when rushing once that resulted in a curry that tasted flat and one-dimensional compared to the deeply flavored version we know and love.
- Adding garam masala at the end rather than with the other spices preserves its aromatic qualities, something I discovered accidentally when I forgot to add it earlier and was amazed by how much brighter the finished curry tasted.
03 -
- Toast and grind your own spices whenever possible, a five-minute task that elevates this curry from excellent to extraordinary, something I discovered after a spice merchant at our local market insisted I try the difference.
- Let the curry rest off the heat for 15 minutes before serving, a counterintuitive step that allows the flavors to settle and meld, making the first bite even more impressive than if served immediately from the stove.