Beef with Curry

Beef Curry Recipe

Hello! We're going to prepare a dish that always triumphs with its intensity and creamy texture. This beef curry is ideal for breaking out of the routine without complicating your life, achieving a thick and aromatic sauce that envelops every tender piece of meat. It's homemade, comforting food, perfect for dipping bread.

Preparation time

To organize ourselves well, here are the estimated times. Remember that cooking time may vary slightly depending on your pot, but these are the references to ensure everything turns out perfectly.

• Preparation: 10 minutes
• Cooking: 30 minutes (plus depressurization time)
• Total: Approximately 55 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients

The key to this dish lies in the balance of spices and the freshness of the aromatics. We're going to use ingredients you probably already have or that are very easy to find at the market.

• 2 tablespoons Oil
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 4 Cloves (or garlic cloves depending on preference, very finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon grated Ginger
• 2 medium-sized Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons Yogurt (full fat/whole)
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped Cilantro
• 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1-2 teaspoons of Spice Blend (Garam Masala type)
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup of Water
• 1.5 pounds of Chuck Roast cut into cubes (or stewing meat)
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped Cilantro (for garnish)

Possible substitutions

If you can't find chuck roast, you can use any cut that has a bit of intramuscular fat so it doesn't dry out, similar to what you would look for in a beef loin in red wine and rosemary sauce. The yogurt should be plain and unsweetened; if you don't have it, heavy cream can work, although yogurt adds a special acidity.

Utensils we will use

We don't need a laboratory, just basic tools that make our lives easier. In this case, we will rely on multi-cooker technology to save time without losing flavor.

• Electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot type) or multi-cooker
• Hand blender or stand blender
• Chef's knife and cutting board
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• Small bowls for organizing spices (mise en place)

Preparation

We are going to cook step by step. Follow the order to ensure the spices release their aroma and the meat becomes tender. We will use the pressure cooker to speed up the tenderizing process that would normally take hours.

1. Sofrito of aromatics

   The first thing is to build the flavor base. Turn on your pot in «Sauté» mode and heat the oil. When hot, add the chopped onion, garlic, and grated ginger.

   • Stir constantly so they don't burn.
   • Cook until the onion is golden and translucent; this is vital for the sweetness of the sauce.
   • Once golden, turn off the sauté function momentarily to avoid splattering in the next step.
2. Stir constantly so they don't burn.
3. Cook until the onion is golden and translucent; this is vital for the sweetness of the sauce.
4. Once golden, turn off the sauté function momentarily to avoid splattering in the next step.

5. Creation of the sauce base

   Now we are going to integrate the liquids and spices. Add the chopped tomatoes, yogurt, coarse cilantro, red pepper flakes, cumin, ground coriander, spice blend (garam masala), salt, and water to the pot.

   • Use the immersion blender directly in the pot (or do it separately in a regular blender and pour it in) to process everything.
   • Don't obsess over it being super smooth; a little rustic texture is fine. The important thing is that the yogurt and spices integrate well with the tomato.
6. Use the immersion blender directly in the pot (or do it separately in a regular blender and pour it in) to process everything.
7. Don't obsess over it being super smooth; a little rustic texture is fine. The important thing is that the yogurt and spices integrate well with the tomato.

8. Incorporation of meat

   Add the meat cubes to the mixture we just blended. Stir well with a spatula or spoon to ensure each piece of meat is covered by the sauce.

   • This helps the meat start absorbing the flavors from the very beginning.
9. This helps the meat start absorbing the flavors from the very beginning.

10. Pressure cooking

    Place the pot lid and secure it well. Turn the valve to the «Sealing» position.

    • Select «Manual» or «High Pressure» mode.
    • Adjust the timer to 20 minutes. The pot will take a few minutes to build pressure before it starts counting down the time.
11. Select «Manual» or «High Pressure» mode.
12. Adjust the timer to 20 minutes. The pot will take a few minutes to build pressure before it starts counting down the time.

13. Depressurization and finishing

    When the pot beeps indicating the end of the time, do not open the valve immediately. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. This is crucial for the meat to rest and not toughen due to the sudden change in temperature.

    • After 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure and open the lid carefully.
    • If you see that the sauce is too liquid, turn on «Sauté» mode again and cook with the pot uncovered for a few more minutes, stirring, until the sauce reduces and thickens to your liking.
14. After 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure and open the lid carefully.
15. If you see that the sauce is too liquid, turn on «Sauté» mode again and cook with the pot uncovered for a few more minutes, stirring, until the sauce reduces and thickens to your liking.

To finish and serve

Once the sauce has the desired creamy consistency, turn off the heat. Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro on top to add a touch of color and herbal freshness that cuts through the richness of the curry. Serve hot. This dish cries out for a neutral accompaniment that absorbs the sauce; I usually serve it with simple white rice or, if I want something more complete, I accompany it with a Latin bowl of brown rice, black beans, and chimichurri adapted without the chimichurri, so as not to mix too many strong flavors. Naan flatbread is also excellent.

Nutritional Information

Here are the approximate values per serving for you to consider the energy contribution of this comforting dish.

• Calories: 412 kcal
• Fats: 28 g
• Carbohydrates: 8 g
• Proteins: 35 g
• Fiber: 2 g

Note: Values are estimates based on standard ingredients and may vary depending on the brand of products or the exact type of meat used.

5 keys to make it perfect

Sometimes we follow the recipe to the letter and something is missing. Here are my secrets to make this curry taste like it came from a restaurant.

1. Browning the onion is non-negotiable.
Many times, due to haste, we only «sweat» the onion. In a curry, we need it to caramelize slightly (turn golden) before adding the liquids. That base of sweet and toasted flavor is what gives depth to the final dish.

2. Be careful with the yogurt.
Yogurt adds creaminess, but if it's too cold or heats up too quickly, it can curdle. Using full-fat (whole) yogurt helps prevent this, as the fat stabilizes the mixture against heat. Mix it well with the tomato before closing the pot.

3. Patience in depressurization.
If you open the valve immediately after finishing (Quick Release), the moisture inside the meat evaporates suddenly due to the pressure change, leaving it dry as a shoe sole. Those 15 minutes of waiting are the secret to tenderness, similar to the patience required to prepare good red wine short ribs with creamy mashed potatoes.

4. Adjust the texture at the end.
When cooking hermetically sealed, there is no evaporation. It's normal for it to seem watery when opened. Don't panic. The final reduction with the pot uncovered is part of the technique to concentrate flavors and thicken the sauce without adding flour.

5. Fresh spices.
Powdered cumin and coriander lose aroma over time. If your spice jars have been open since 2024, it might be time to replace them. A curry depends 100% on the potency of these spices.

When is it ideal to enjoy it?

This Beef Curry is a «culinary hug» dish. It's perfect for cold months or rainy days when the body craves quality calories and spices that warm the spirit. Being a stew, the flavors settle and improve over time, making it ideal to prepare on a Sunday and take it in a lunchbox to work on Monday.

It also works wonderfully for informal family dinners where you place the pot in the center, plenty of naan bread or rice, and everyone serves themselves. If you want to balance the menu, you can start with something fresh and light, like a heart of palm salad with passion fruit vinaigrette, to cleanse the palate before the curry's intensity.

Comparison table

Sometimes we confuse the types of curries or stews. Here I show you how our recipe differs from other popular options so you can choose the one that best suits you today.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Share your experience

The kitchen is for experimenting and sharing. I'd love to know how it turned out for you, if you dared to make it spicier or if you served it with something different. Leave your comment and share your own tricks!

Culinary glossary

To help you move like a fish in water in the kitchen, here are some terms we've covered or that relate to this technique:

• Sauté: To cook a food over high heat in a small amount of fat (oil or butter) to quickly brown it and seal in its juices or awaken its aromas.
• Reduction: The process of boiling a sauce or liquid with the pot uncovered so that the water evaporates, causing the mixture to thicken and the flavors to concentrate.
• Marbling: Refers to the intramuscular fat (those white streaks) within red meat. For stews and curries, we look for cuts with good marbling so that they remain juicy after long cooking times.
• Garam Masala: A blend of ground spices widely used in Indian cuisine. It is not a single ingredient, but a combination that usually includes cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper, and cumin.
• Mise en place: French term meaning «put in its place.» It consists of preparing, weighing, and chopping all ingredients before starting to cook. It is vital in curry recipes to avoid burning the spices while you look for the next ingredient.