This is a fantastic dish, combining the depth of warming spices, cinnamon and black cardamom with tear-apart tender beef.
The recipe is adapted from Delicious magazine (September 2015).
For this recipe and more of Ivor's recipes visit http://www.urbanrajah.com/
Ingredients:
4 tbsp oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
8 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
1 cinnamon stick
4 small or 2 big chillies
6 black cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cloves
1 kg diced lean beef
400 g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp medium curry powder (or hot, if preferred)
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp garam masala
fresh coriander leaves for garnishing (optional)
**I used half of the ingredients
Method:
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and brown thoroughly, stirring, until the edges start to caramelize (about 8-10 minutes).
Spoon in the ginger and garlic, quickly followed by the cinnamon stick, chillies, cardamom, peppercorns and cloves.
Add 100 ml cold water and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, allowing the spices to combine and scent the pan.
Season the beef, turn the heat up high, then add to the pan and brown thoroughly, coating the meat in the spice base.
Cover and cook over a low heat for 45 minutes, or until it looks jammy and slightly dry around the edges. It should take on the colour of dark chocolate.
Add the tinned tomatoes, curry powder, ground coriander and garam masala along with 500 ml water.
Season with salt, stir, then cover and cook for another 30 minutes over a very low heat. Uncover and cook for a further 1 hour and 30 minutes over a low-medium heat. By now the beef will yield under a little pressure, which is the secret of it's tender texture.
Scatter with coriander, if prefer, squeeze over lime juice and serve with chapatis, if you like (or some basmati rice).
Bon Appetit!
