Indian Beef Curry w/Tomatoes
June 16th, 2009 | View Comments
Prep time: 30 mins
Active cook time: 20 mins
Inactive cook time: 2-2 1/2 hours on the stove or 4-8 hours in the slow cooker
Serves: 6
This is the one and only Indian dish I know how to make, but it is so, so, good. Simmer on the stovetop or dump the whole thing into a slow cooker. Great in the heat of summer or the dead of winter.
Don’t you love the colors in this photo?
Indian Beef Curry w/Tomatoes
Adapted from Epicurious
2 – 2 1/2 lbs beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 T. grapeseed oil
2 large onions, sliced
6 whole cloves
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 t. Chinese 5-spice powder
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. dried red pepper flakes
1 1/2 c. whole milk
4 large Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
3 T. Major Grey chutney
Juice of 1 lime
2 T. peeled fresh ginger, minced (about a 2-inch piece)
1 1/2 T. curry powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, combine the cloves, garlic, Chinese 5-spice powder, star anise, bay leaf, and dried red pepper flakes. Set aside.
Season the beef cubes liberally with salt and pepper. Add grapeseed oil to a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pan and heat on high until shimmering hot. Add beef to pot in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Allow beef to cook undisturbed until browned on one side, 3-4 minutes. Turn beef over and brown the other side, 3-4 minutes more. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer beef to plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium-high and add onions. Sauté onions until soft and browned, 7-10 minutes. Return beef to pot, along with any accumulated juices. Add spice mixture, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minutes. Stir in milk, chutney, lime juice, ginger, curry powder, and 1/2 t. Kosher salt. Bring to a boil.
If using slow cooker: Transfer curry to slow cooker (it’ll be a tight fit in a 3-quart insert). Cook 4 hours on low or 8 hours on high. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If finishing on the stovetop: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until beef is fork tender, 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to medium, and bring curry to a boil. Boil until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve over steamed white rice.
I almost always stew with brisket, but beef shank or even chuck roast will do. Just don’t buy the pre-cut stew meat; the pieces are too small and who knows what part of the cow they came from.
I used grapeseed oil because that’s what I have, but canola, vegetable, or some other oil with a high smoke point should be fine.
Use a spice ball or spice pouch if you don’t want to be picking cloves, bits of star anise, and the bay leaf out of the curry.
If you can’t find Major Grey chutney, get some kind of fruit-based chutney. I’ve used both peach and mango chutney with good results.
Budget:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 2.25 lbs brisket | $4.50 |
| 2 yellow onions | $1.93 |
| 1 small container whole cloves | $5.09 |
| 1 quart whole milk | $1.39 |
| 4 Roma tomatoes | $1.51 |
| 1 jar Major Grey chutney | $4.19 |
| 1 lime | $0.10 |
| Fresh ginger root | $0.80 |
| 1 jar curry powder | $3.70 |
| Total | $23.21 |
Pantry ingredients: Grapeseed oil, garlic, Chinese 5-spice powder, star anise, bay leaf, dried red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, rice
Leftover ingredients: Cloves, chutney, ginger, curry powder
If you don’t already have the necessary spices/flavoring agents on hand, this recipe will drive up your grocery bill. But things like curry powder and chutney can go a pretty long way and I think you’ll probably be making this more than once. If you have most of the spices already, this is pretty economical. In my case, about $4 per serving.
Yvonne posted this on June 16th, 2009 @ 10:07pm in Beef, Indian, One Pot Meals, Slow Cooker Recipes | Permalink to "Indian Beef Curry w/Tomatoes"
Likes to cook, eat, grow herbs, and collect kitchen gear in Houston, TX. 
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