Kerala Style Beef Varattiyathu

Ingredients:

• 3/4 kg fresh beef cubed and washed
• 1 cup red small onions thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp garlic minced
• 2 tbsp ginger minced
• 6 green chillies split lengthwise
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh curry leaves
• ½ - ¾ cup small coconut slices
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 ½ tsp red chilly powder
• ¼ tsp + ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Masala Powder:

• 2 tbsp Perinjeerakam
• ¾ tbsp black peppercorns
• 6-8 small ½ inch cinnamon sticks
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamoms

Preparation:

1. Grind and powder the spices, mentioned to make the masala powder. Keep ½ teaspoon masala powder aside; make a marinade with the rest of the masala powder, turmeric, salt, minced garlic and ginger, adding few drops of water; apply it thoroughly on the meat, using your hands and leave it in room temperature for around 20 -30 minutes.
2. Pressure cook the marinated meat, without adding water, until it gets cooked well. (Note: My pressure cooker takes about 4 whistles to do the cooking but it varies depending on the meat, and the wear and tear of the cooker. If it is not a tender meat, add a teaspoon of vinegar to speed up the cooking.)
3. Once the pressure cooking is done, heat oil in a big shallow pan, sauté the small onions and green chillies until they turn pale in low flame, At this stage, add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and coriander powder and stir continuously until the raw smell goes, making sure that you don’t burn your onions or spice powders. Now add the coconut slices and 2 sprigs of curry leaves and combine well with the base mixture and then add the cooked beef to this and cook covered, in medium heat, for around 4 minutes, until it starts boiling. (Do not add water at this stage as pressure cooking must have already produced some water from the meat). Now remove the lid and add the ½ tsp masala powder, kept aside earlier, and roast the meat, in low flame for 10-15 minutes, until it reaches a brown colour, as in the picture. Do a taste–test in between and adjust the salt, if needed. Just two minutes before turning off the heat, add a sprig of curry leaves; do not omit this stage of cooking as it really helps the dish to attain a wonderful aroma and fresh fragrance of the curry leaves.
4. Serve warm with rice or Palappam, Chappathi or Porotta

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