A Beef Curry with a Difference......I am back!!!

Hi all!!!. I am happy to be back....when monsoon started, lightening struck and most of the electronic goods got damaged including modem....
.then some underground cable snapped and land phone also got disconnected. So one whole month...no internet, no phone....it was like I went back to primitive age....we live in the outskirts of the city and that leaves little option for mobile phone.....no tower any where near....no range for mobile phone....which left me with so much time....I enjoyed a lot with monsoon at its full glory.

I have been cooking a lot.....and this beef curry is with a difference......this recipe is from my newly married cousin Kunji ....that's her pet name (Lizbeth)....the story is that my brother and family had visited her at Cochin and was deeply impressed by her brand new cutlery skills. This beef curry stood out with a difference.....which had my sis-in-law raving about it......that made me call Kunji and she was happy to share it with me.

This curry is made with Eastern Meat Masala 

The difference is that meat is marinated with lime, salt and meat masala for atleast 2 to 4 hours (overnight if possible). This tenderize the meat and gives it a soft texture. Shallots or button onions plays another important role in this curry apart from meat masala....any meat masala can be used...but my personal preference is Eastern Meat Masala as it is less spicy.....(my love for Eastern Products started 16 years ago...soon after my marriage we lived in Munnar for sometime....the company had their main plant at Adimali which is near to Munnar ...and I learned to make sambar (a South Indian Curry) from the directions on the back of their product).

Recipe Source: Lizbeth Malieckal.

Ingredients:
Beef: :1/2 kg, chopped preferably with fat.
Lime: 1 whole.
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
Shallots/button onions: 200 gms, sliced.
Garlic: 2 pods, chopped.
Ginger: 1 inch, chopped.
Green chilly: 2, slit.
Tomato: 1 chopped.
Kashmiri red chilly powder: 2 tsp.
Meat masala: 2 tbsp.
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp.
Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp.
Coconut oil: 1/4 cup.
Water: 1/4 cup.
Salt.
Curry leaves.
Method:

1. Marinate beef with lime juice, 1 tbsp meat masala, and salt. Keep aside in fridge for at least 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile deskin and clean 200 gms of shallots.

3. Slice them thinly. Chop the ginger and garlic thinly.Slit the green chillies.

4. In a pressure cooker heat oil and add 1 tsp mustard seeds and let it splutter. I used coconut oil that brings out more authentic Kerala flavor and this time I forgot that I am on diet.

5. Dunk in the sliced shallots, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and salt.(Remember salt was added for marinating so add little here).

6. Let it fry on low flame for 5 to 10 min.

7. Meantime chop 1 tomato and keep aside.

8. Now the shallots must have started to brown....add 2 tsp red chilly powder (I am using Kashmiri chilly which is not pungent; if using ordinary red chilly pls reduce by 1 tsp), 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp meat masala, 1/2 tsp garam masala, and 1/2 tsp pepper powder.

9. Allow it to fry for a min or until the raw smell goes.

10. Add the chopped tomato.

11. Let it fry for 2 or 3 min or until oil comes out.

12. Dunk in the marinated beef and mix well. Let it fry for another 5 min, mix well. The idea is remove the  raw smell of the marinated masala and the fat of the meat to come out.

13. Add little water. Close pressure cooker and cook for 20 min on low flame after the 1 st whistle.

14. This is just after I opened the cooker after it is cooked.

Serve hot with Rice, Roti, Idiyappam, Puttu or just about anything. Lavish with curry leaves.

Tip: Adding thick coconut milk to this makes it more creamy and yummy!!!

Disclaimer:I used Easten Meat Masala out of my own personal choice and this is not a review for the product nor the company is paying me for using their product.