This is one of my favourite recipes from my book Lose Weight and Get Fit, where my focus was on creating high-flavour recipes for dieting and fitness. This Malaysian-style beef curry really ticks all the boxes. Here, galangal, tamarind and lemongrass introduce more subtle flavours than the often fiery heat of a classic Indian curry.
Making a spice paste from scratch is so quick and easy and worth the extra few minutes it takes. Give it a try to make a change from your usual curry paste.
I use lean stewing steak as it’s high in protein and very low in saturated fat – less than 2 per cent, compared with other cuts of beef. It’s a great recipe for batch cooking too, just let the curry cool then freeze in portions. Defrost fully overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a pan over a medium heat until hot all the way through.
Tom Kerridge is a Michelin-starred chef and bestselling cookbook author; tomkerridge.com
Tom Kerridge’s Malaysian-style beef curry
Serves 4
Ingredients
650g lean stewing beef
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 litre fresh beef stock
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 kaffir lime leaves
150ml tinned coconut milk
1 tbsp tamarind paste
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the spice paste
8 shallots, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 dried chillies, stalks removed
2 long red chillies, deseeded
2.5cm piece fresh ginger, diced
2.5cm piece fresh galangal, diced
2 lemongrass stems, coarse layers removed, chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
To serve
500g cooked brown rice (freshly cooked and drained or two pouches)
A handful of coriander leaves
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
Method
1 First, prepare the spice paste: put all the ingredients into a food processor along with 1 tsp salt and blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed.
2 Cut the beef into 2.5cm cubes. Place a large non-stick saucepan over a high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the spice paste and cook, stirring, for one minute or until fragrant.
3 Add the beef and cook, stirring regularly, for five minutes until starting to brown. Add the stock, cinnamon, star anise and lime leaves. Bring to a low simmer, cover and cook gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the beef is tender.
4 Increase the heat, stir in the coconut milk and tamarind paste and cook for a further five minutes. Meanwhile, if using pouches of rice, heat up according to the packet instructions. Season the curry with salt and pepper to taste and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise.
5 Divide the rice and curry between warmed bowls and top with coriander leaves and chilli slices to serve.
