Beef Kurmah (Curried Beef)

Latchy's Note:

This is a Malay curry and it is really good as it can be frozen.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 kg stewing beef (chuck)
• 8 spring onions , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemongrass (only white part)
• 500 ml coconut milk
• 1 small red chile , chopped
• 60 g ground almonds

Directions:

1. Heat half the oil in a pan add steak in batches and brown all over, remove from pan.
2. Heat remaining oil in the same pan add spring onions, garlic and ginger and cook until spring onions are soft.
3. Add the coriander, cumin, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and lemon grass cooking and stirring for about 3 minutes.
4. Return the meat to the pan add coconut milk and chili and simmer covered for about 1 to 1/2 hours until meat is tender.
5. Add the nuts and stir until heated through.
6. Discard cinnamon, cardamom before serving.

Reviews

[cinderetta2002]

This tasted pretty close to the real thing (we live in Singapore). I used dried (flakes) coriander instead of ground. I simmered the beef for about 2 hrs, and discarded afterwards the cinnamon and star anise, but not the cardamom. My only suggestions are that you add a bit of sea salt or fine salt to enhance the taste, reduce the powdered almonds to 30g because the sauce becomes a bit too thick, and you can use chili flakes instead of the red chili.

[Cinizini]

Excellent curry; I usually like my curries pretty spicy but the unusual flavor combinations and richness made up for it. Only addition was about a tsp, of salt. Awesome recipe-thank you!

[Donna Matthews]

DH says this is a "real keeper". 2 pounds of stewing beef made barely enough for 4 of us, served with basmati rice and salad. I also cut the beef cubes smaller, as suggested, which was a good idea. And DH did add salt. So everyone's suggestions were useful. It is really quite easy to put together and I let it simmer about 2 hours. Yum!