I found this kerala-style beef stew recipe in the September issue of Bon Appetit magazine that I wanted to share with you before giving it a second try. Last time I shared a tasty Gazpacho recipe I received lots of suggestions that I incorporated the second time around and it turned out even better that the first time.
I love that this recipe is a one-dish meal — that means fewer dishes to wash! You can also use a crock pot to make this. It’s better to make this dish on the weekends the whole process takes about 1 hour. Freeze the leftovers for quick and easy weeknight dinners!
Love stews? Try my chicken and hominy stew recipe and Julia’s chicken stew with carrots recipe.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons veggie oil
1 ½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 1″ pieces
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 serrano chiles, seeded (unless you like spicy food) and chopped
1 quarter inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3 cups chicken broth
½ pound of carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and then halved again
½ pound baby red-skinned potatoes, halved
¼ pound pearl onions
2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
Cilantro springs
Directions
Heat 1 ½ tablespoon of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. I used my cast iron pot and it helped to shave a few minutes of the cooking time. Season beef with salt and pepper. Sear beef in two batches so it doesn’t steam. Use the remaining oil for the second batch. Transfer beef to plate after 5 minutes or when all sides are browned.
Then stir in garlic, chiles, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of pepper and tumeric, and cook until fragrant. Add broth and the beef you set aside. Make sure to scrape up the yummy brown bits left behind by adding the broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot , and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes, and onions. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. About 15-20 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk. Garnish with cilantro.
I’d love to hear if you have any suggestions to amp up the flavor. Let me know in the comments!
Karen says
Maybe try adding some curry powder for more flavor? It will go well with the coconut milk and other seasonings already in the recipe.
yazmincruz says
@Karen Will have to try it with some curry. Thanks for your suggestion!
EllieD says
By the way, that spice is tuRmeric, and is a component of curry. Many people misspell and mispronounce it! This recipe sounds like a good one for the cool weather, but is a big turn-off during our too-long siege of temps at or above 100! I do like the fact that it can be made in a slow cooker, but am wondering about some of the unusual flavors. It will be an interesting experiment when the temps drop a lot more!
yazmincruz says
@EllieD Completely agree with you. Come on, cool weather!!! I made this last week when the temps dropped.
EllieD says
Karen’s suggestion seems like a good one. Just be sure to get “real” (not a blend) curry powder, as they can vary in flavor. Learned my lesson when I bought some at World Market. Didn’t read the labels carefully before checking out!
Karen says
I’m not experienced when it comes to curries, but our family likes the World Market mild curry blend. There are 12 spices in it but it’s not too spicy — even my toddler likes it. However, if you are like Ellie, you may prefer a different type of curry powder. Ellie, what exactly is in a “real curry powder” and where do you buy yours from (in case I ever want to branch out from the curry powder I currently use.)
EllieD says
@Karen ~ I think World Market carries curry powder that is not a blend, and also TJs. The blends become rather indistinct, whereas the curry powders of different colors/types (red, green, yellow, etc.) stand on their own. You can adjust the strength of the flavor by using more or less of the curry for your recipes. I happen to like the curry flavors, but always used moderate amounts when the boys were young. They did like a dip made of mayo and curry, with cauliflower for dipping, which their grandmother introduced them to… tasty, and extra nutrition with the dippers.
Ron says
This recipe came at just the right time. I happened to have a 3 lb chuck roast in the fridge (on sale at Ralphs for $2.99/lb) that I was going to use for a pot roast, but decided to give this recipe a try instead. I followed the recipe fairly closely, although I doubled the ingredients since my roast was so big. I chopped up a whole maui onion instead of using pearl onions, and used a couple big tablespoons of chopped garlic from a jar instead of fresh garlic. As directed, I browned the meat in a skillet, as well as the chiles, garlic, ginger, and spices, then transferred everything to a crockpot.
I was a little worried that the number of serrano chiles were going to make it too spicy (the ones I bought were about 3 inches long), but it added just the right amount of kick. Even my oldest daughter, who doesn’t like spicy foods, had no problems with it. With the coconut milk and the spices, it’s very reminiscent of a Thai curry; the broth is very thin, unlike most stews. The turmeric added a nice savory odor and flavor without being overpowering. Things I would do next time: halve the amount of coconut milk, and maybe cut back on the amount of chicken broth. I had a lot of liquid left over, enough for maybe another pound of meat.
EllieD says
@Ron ~ Thanks for your step-by-step rundown and the handy hints for the broth. You might want to consider straining and freezing the leftover broth (after it’s cooled, of course), and using it for the next roast beef you slow cook. I think this recipe would also work well with pork or chicken, although I wouldn’t use the broth left over from cooking beef for those meats. Thanks for sharing with us!!