Thattukada Beef Curry

Thattu Kada recipes have their own charm… Beef curry is one of the most popular Thattu Kada recipes. This is an authentic Kerala Beef Curry.

Read more about Thattu Kada culture on the Intro page.

The Recipe Intro↓ has , more information as well as Recipe Video in Malayalam . Don’t forget to check it out.

Ingredients:

Beef, cut into bite-size cubes ( not too small - see notes)		1 1/2 kg
Coconut oil		1/4 cup
cloves		5
Green cardamom		2
Star anise (Spice)		4 segments
Mustard seeds, optional		1/4 tsp
Fennel seeds		2 tsp
Red onions, (small-sized )chopped		4
Long Green chilies, split lengthwise and chopped		2
Garlic, crushed		1 WHOLE bulb
Ginger ( about the same amount as garlic), crushed		1 piece
Tomato, chopped		1
Turmeric powder		3/4 tsp
Coriander powder		4 tsp
Chilli powder		4 tsp
Fennel Seed Powder		1 tsp
Black pepper powder		2-3 tsp
Sprigs fresh curry leaves		2
Salt		1 1/4 tsp
Water (1 cup=240 MLS)		1 1/2 - 2 cups

Method:

1. Rinse the beef thoroughly. Don’t leave the beef in water. Once rinsed well, leave in a colander to drain well.
2. Place the pressure cooker on the stove and bring to heat. Place it on a medium flame and let the cooker heat up before adding oil
3. Add the coconut oil to the hot pressure cooker, and let it heat up.
4. Add the whole spices. Mustard seeds are optional. If adding, add them first and allow to splutter.
5. Add cardamom, cloves, star anise, and fennel seeds. Allow to crackle.
6. Now, add the chopped onion and saute. Saute patiently, stirring at regular intervals on a medium flame for 5 minutes.
7. Add the green chilli, crushed ginger and garlic. Continue to saute for an additional 2 minutes. The ingredients should not go brown. Just sauteed till soft and very lightly golden.
8. Once all the ingredients are sauteed well, add the chopped tomatoes and continue cooking 1 -2 minutes, till the tomatoes have softened to a pulp.
9. Now add the turmeric, coriander, chilli powder, and fennel seed powder. Turn down the heat and stir well till aromatic. Careful not to scorch the spices. Sprinkle water if you need to.
10. Now add the drained beef and toss well thoroughly with all the sauteed ingredients and spices, to coat evenly. Fry the beef briefly with the spices.
11. Add curry leaves, black pepper, and salt. Toss again thoroughly.
12. Now add 1 1/2 – 2 cups water ( just enough to cover the beef). Mix once again and close the pressure cooker.
13. Apply the pressure regulator and cook for approximately 8 steam whistles on a medium flame. Various cuts of beef may vary in cooking time, so use your discretion. The beef should be tender, but not overcooked.
14. Allow the cooker to cool off on its own. (No Manual dispatching of steam). I leave the cooker closed for 30 minutes or so.
15. Open the cooker and check the doneness of the beef. If there is no need to pressure cook further, return the cooker and cook opened, till the liquid thickens up a bit, giving you a curry of the desired consistency. (At this point, I taste and often add a bit of coriander, chilli powder or fennel seed powder to taste and simmer a while).
16. Lastly add the fresh, chopped coriander leaves. Tasty Beef curry is ready to serve.

Thattukada Beef Curry

Notes:

• Video in Malayalam on the Intro Page.
• When cutting the beef into cubes, keep into account that the beef shrinks during the cooking process. When it is washed and drained,  the cut pieces will shrink by approximately half the size when cooked so cut accordingly. The pieces should be bite-size in the curry.
• The ginger and garlic in this recipe are crushed using a pestle and mortar. This gives the best results. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, smash the ingredients with the side of a chefs knife and then continue to chop roughly.

 

Key Ingredients: Beef, Onion, Ginger, Garlic, Tomato, Green Chilli, Coconut Oil, Spices, Curry Leaves, Coriander Leaves, Salt.

EAT AND TELL!!! Let us know if you tried –  Thattukada Beef Curry

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