Aimie’s (Super Inauthentic) Friday Beef Curry

While baking requites precision, there is something so incredibly fun about a spice-forward recipe that allows for more creativity and personal preference. Anything involving a Dutch oven and tons of spices also makes me feel like a witch at her cauldron, so make of that what you will. I make this every-other Friday night, and we end up with enough for three generous meals for two people. This is probably very inauthentic according to anyone from a culture that makes Curry-based dishes as a staple. I am aware of this, but I like it—and you might too—so please don’t @ me.

Ingredients:

·      2 lbs round steak, cubed

·      Baking soda and salt to tenderize

·      1 cup Jasmine rice prepared (I make mine in an Instant pot with chicken stock and butter) I make a fresh batch of rice for every round of leftovers, so if you’re making this to eat with 4-6 people in one sitting, you may want to make 2-3 cups of rice.  

For the Curry Sauce:

·      1 - 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes

·      1 - 15 oz. can coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen brand. Can be expensive, but good deals to be had at Costco.)

·      3 Tbsp. Curry powder. I use Penzy’s Curry blend (not the ones labeled sweet or hot, just Penzey’s) or sometimes their Maharajah blend if I’m feeling sassy.

·      1 tsp. Ground Ginger

·      Two Bay Leaves 

To Taste:

·      Onion Powder

·      Garlic Powder

·      Cayenne Pepper

·      Smoked Paprika

 Equipment needed:

·      Dutch oven

·      3qt Crockpot 

Method:

The day before:

·      If your steaks are frozen, start thawing the morning of the day before you plan to cook (e.g. Thursday morning for Friday dinner.)

·      The night before, tenderize and cube your beef. Do not neglect this step. I hammer mine with a stainless steel mallet and use a neat meat tenderizing tool my mother gave me that pokes small holes in it. This step is fun for me, and you can also make of that what you will. Cut into bite-sized cubes and place in a Ziploc with baking soda and salt to tenderize overnight.

The day of:  

·      In the morning, rinse the baking soda and salt off the beef in a colander and dry with paper towels

·      Brown the beef in a Dutch oven with a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Don’t crowd the beef; brown in 2-3 batches as needed. Remove and place in the bowl of a 3qt Crockpot.

·      Leave the oil and any stuck bits of beef on the bottom of the Dutch oven (aka: the fond Flavortown) and deglaze with the crushed tomatoes over medium-low heat. This will help get the residue off your pan for easier cleaning (yay!) and will re-incorporate the flavor back into the sauce.

·      Add the coconut milk, stir, then add the curry. Stir until no clumps remain. Repeat with the ginger. Add the other spices to taste.

·      Add sauce on top of beef in bowl of crock pot. Add in the bay leaves, but do not break or crumble.

·      Cook on high setting for an hour, then reduce to low or warm setting, careful to ensure too much liquid does not cook off. Avoid opening the lid. I’ve added chicken stock to keep the liquid levels from getting too low with good results. I have been advised to experiment with plastic wrap to ensure the seal on the lid keeps the liquid trapped, will report back. Let cook for several hours until dinnertime.

·      Remove bay leaves and serve over warm Jasmine rice. Enjoy!