Sri Lankan Beef Curry

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1.2kg chuck beef, cut into 3cm chunks  

1 tsp curry powder 

1 tsp ground coriander 

2 onions, sliced

2 small green chillies

3 clove garlic chopped

1 x 2 cm piece of ginger, minced

2 sprigs coriander leaves picked for sambal, root and stalks chopped 

1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves

½ tsp mustard seeds 

1 cinnamon stick  

1 tsp tamarind puree

600ml of coconut milk 

Salt 

Sambal

1 punnet tomatoes quartered 

2 tbsp desiccated coconut toasted

Juice ½ lime

Method

Place the beef in a large bowl and add the curry powder, ground coriander and a good pinch of salt. Mix together with your hand and marinade for 10 minutes or even better overnight.

Heat a large or casserole pan over a medium to high heat and add oil, onions, whole chillies, garlic, ginger and coriander root and stalks. Fry for 2 - 3 minutes to soften and then add the fenugreek leaves, mustard seeds and cinnamon. Toast off for another minute then add the meat and coat in the onions. Add tamarind puree and enough water to just cover the meat. Bring to the boil then turn down to medium-low and cook with the lid on for 45 minutes. 

Add the coconut milk and cook for a further 45 minutes - 1 hour or until the meat is tender and the coconut sauce is thick and rich. Check season, you may need a little more salt. 

For the sambal, combine the ingredient with the coriander leaves. 

Serve curry with basmati rice and sambal.