Beef Stew (Kerala Style)

Beef Stew is a permanent dish at home for a festive day breakfast; for Christmas & Easter. I prepare this dish whenever i have a craving for it. The rule to eat a beef stew is to soak bread or hopper in it and then eat it. Well it is my way of eating the stew. This tastes good with idiyappam (string hoppers) as well as puttu too.

Ingredients for the stew

Boiled beef* - 400 - 500 gms

Beef stock – 1 cup
Potatoes – 2 or 3 diced
Carrot – 2, chopped
Green chilly – 2
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Onion – 2 medium, julienned
Oil – 2 tbsp

Whole spices

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
Cloves – 6 medium sized
Green Cardamom – 6 medium sized

Ghee – 2 tsp
Cashew nut – 3 tbsp
Raisins – 3 tbsp

Pepper powder – ¾ to 1 tsp

Thick coconut milk(first extract) – ¾ cup
Thin coconut milk(second extract) – 1 cup

Utensil required – heavy bottom pan or a pressure cooker

the method

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins. Keep the fried fruits aside. To the same pan add oil. Add the whole spices and stir till the spices release the aroma (take care that the spices do not get burnt). Add the julienned onion, ginger and green chillies. Add the boiled beef, potatoes and carrots. Add water or third extract of coconut if required. Add salt. Cook till the potatoes are done. Add the second extract of coconut milk and bring to boil. Add ¾ tsp pepper powder. Check taste. Add the first extract of coconut milk. Add the fried cashew nuts and raisins. Turn off heat when the stew is about to boil.

an optional note: dilute 1 tsp rice flour to the second extract of coconut milk to thicken the stew ( i have added  rice flour in this recipe)

*ingredients to boil the beef

Beef – 400 – 500 gms

Ginger – half inch piece
Pepper powder – ¼ tsp
Green chilly – 1 medium sized
Salt to taste