Beef Frithad Curry

Beef Frithad Curry

“Frithad Curry is a typical East Indian dish. East Indians are the original inhabitants of Bombay. East Indian cuisine is the outcome of many influences – Indian, Portuguese and British. East Indians are generally reluctant to part with their recipes and their recipes are often kept secret for generations, fortunately I'm a blabber mouth! This curry can be made with or without the use of coconut. It is usually enjoyed with flat breads made of rice flour and can be made with chicken or mutton too”.

Ingredients

1 kg beef, cut into cubes

8 dry red Kashmir chilies (de-seed some chilies if you like it less spicy)

1 cup shredded fresh coconut

3 red onions, sliced

12 flakes garlic

2 tsps coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

3” piece cinnamon

1 tsp poppy seeds

½ tsp black pepper corns

6 cloves

½ tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

4 cardamoms

2 large potatoes, cut into large cubes

some tamarind soaked in some warm water (or you can use 2 tbsp tamarind paste)

4 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Directions

Cook beef in a pressure cooker with a little salt and water. Retain the stock and keep aside. Soak dry red chilies in some water till hydrated. Meanwhile, in a pan dry roast the shredded coconut till light brown. Remove and keep aside. In a blender, grind roasted coconut garlic, red chilies and all the other spices to a fine paste. In a pan heat oil and add sliced onions. Saute till the onions have turned completely brown. Add the ground masala paste and fry the masala for 3-4 minutes. Add the beef stock and potatoes. Cook till the potatoes are almost done. Add some water if necessary. Now add the cooked beef pieces and some tamarind water. Stir and check seasoning. Serve with rice or flat breads.