Malabar Style Beef Varattiyathu / Beef Masala

Ingredients (Serves 6)

1. Beef – 1 kg, cubed (Organic beef or beef chuck roast preferred)

2. Coconut oil – 3 – 4 tbsp

3. Coconut slices / thenga kothu – 1/4 cup

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

4. Onion – 1 medium or  1.5 – 2 cups, thinly sliced

Shallots / pearl onions – 1/2 cup, thinly sliced

5. Ginger – 2 tbsp, chopped

Garlic – 2 tbsp, chopped

6. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri chilly powder or medium/mildly spicy chilly powder –  2.5 – 3 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Garam masala powder – 2.5 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

7. Tomato – 1 small, chopped (Optional)

8. Hot water – 1 cup

9. Salt – To taste

10. Garam masala powder –1/4 tsp

Pepper powder –1/8 tsp

To season (this step is optional)

11. Coconut oil – 2 tsp

12. Pearl onions – 4 – 5, thinly sliced

Curry leaves – A few

Thenga kothu / coconut tidbits – 1/4 cup (optional)

Method

1. Heat 3 – 4 tbsp coconut oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan over medium high heat. Add coconut slices and curry leaves. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Next add thinly sliced onion and little salt. Saute until onion turns light golden. Add ginger, garlic and green chilly. Saute until until onion turns golden. Bring down the heat to low. Add turmeric powder, kashmiri chilly powder and coriander powder. Stir for a minute until their raw smell is gone. Add chopped tomato. Saute until tomato gets mashed up and oil separates. Add 1/4 tsp pepper powder and 2.5 tsp garam masala powder. Mix well.  Add beef pieces, few curry leaves, enough salt and mix well. Cook for 5 – 6 minutes over  medium heat.  Add 1 cup hot water and cook covered for 30 – 45 minutes over medium-low heat until beef pieces are soft and done. Cook until most of the water evaporates and beef pieces get completely coated with the masala. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder and a pinch of pepper powder. Mix well and switch off.

2. In a small pan, heat 2 tsp coconut oil. Fry pearl onions until golden brown. Add few curry leaves, 1/4 cup coconut slices and stir for a minute or two. Pour this over the curry. Cover with a lid for 5 minutes. Mix well and serve hot with thenga choru, onion raita and pappadam. It goes well with palappam/ porotta/ chapathi/ thenga choru too.