Beef Curry

I know quite a number of my followers don't eat beef but unfortunately, I am a big beef lover so I want to share with you a  beef curry recipe. Feel free to change to mutton or even chicken if you want.


I usually prefer to make a stew or casserole with my beef when I get my hands on some good quality beef. But since its Ramadhan and in most Maldivian homes we usually have (Maldivian flat bread) and some curry for breaking the fast along with numerous other dishes.

Recipe : Beef Curry (inspired by Rogan Josh Recipe)

500g beef ( use one with some fat in it  and avoid using tenderloin)
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 inch piece of ginger grated
1/2 can of chopped tomatoes
8 curry leaves
6 cardamom pods
2 inch stick of cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground red chilli powder ( optional)
1 1/2 cups  hot water
1 beef stock cube
1 cup plain yogurt
2  heaped teaspoons of ghee or use vegetable oil

Cut your beef into 1-inch cubes, a little bit of fat is ok. Set aside.

Heat ghee or oil in  a casserole , soften your onions along with curry leaves, cardamon pods and cinnamon stick till translucent. Add garlic and ginger, the ground spices, and garam masala and a little water and fry the spices till the raw smell disappears and colour darkens. If you like you can add 1/2 tsp ground red chilli powder to give a little more heat kick.

Stir in half of the canned chopped tomatoes ( if you can't get chopped, just chop half a can of whole tomatoes). Add the beef cubes and stir to coat the beef in the curry base. Crumble your stock cube in the hot water and pour this into the pot. Season with a little salt, ( since it's fasting season,  you can't taste, so about 1/2 tsp would do as you have added the stock cube as well) and also a 1/2 tsp sugar.

Bring to a quick boil and then bring the heat to the lowest flame ( important step: do not boil for more than 5 minutes!! ), cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or wrap an aluminium foil on top and then place the lid. Cook like this for 2 hours over low heat  ( Or you can just pop this into a preheated oven at gas mark 2-3 ).  Give a stir every now and then and add a little water if you think the gravy is too little.

After two hours, remove the lid and stir in yoghurt. Stir well, cook another 1 minute, taste, and adjust seasoning and switch off.  ( Since I am fasting I usually taste after I break my fast, adjust  the seasoning and then serve) .