Kerala Beef Fry (Ollarthiyathu)

This is the first time I'm making Kerala Beef fry,thanks to a generous family friend,who e-mailed this authentic recipe to me yesterday!The beef is cooked with a beautiful combination of aromatic whole spices and stir fried with onions/shallots,curry leaves,green chillies and coconut slices.I love how the coconut slices add a nice crunch,and imparts a really nice flavor to the dish.

Recipe Source : Jacob George (Thank you Uncle for this recipe!)

Ingredients 

• 2.2 lbs (1 kg) Beef-tender meat cut into 1 inch pieces

Marination

• 1 and half tablespoons -Chilly Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon-Turmeric Powder
• 1 tablespoon-White Vinegar
• Salt to taste

Method for Marination

1. Clean and wash the cubed beef pieces,pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Add  the chilly powder,turmeric powder,white vinegar and salt to the beef cubes.
3. Allow the meat to marinate for 30 minutes.(If you are pressed for time keep the marinated meat in the refrigerator for 10 minutes)

Ingredients for cooking the Beef

• 2 Onions sliced  or 200 grams= 3/4 cup of shallots (shallots work the best,you can use onions,if you don't find shallots )
• 1 and half tablespoons- Red chilli powder (adjust to spice level)
• 1/2 teaspoon-Turmeric powder
• 1 and half tablespoons-Coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon-Pepper powder
• 1 inch Cinnamon stick (broken into two pieces or two small sticks)
• 1 Green Cardamon Pods1
• 1 teaspoon-Aniseeds
• 1 teaspoon-Fennel seeds
• 1 and half tablespoons-Ginger slices
• 1 and half tablespoons-Garlic slices
• 2 tablespoons of Coconut oil 
• Salt to taste

Method for cooking the meat

1. In a large pressure cooker or heavy based pot,add the coconut oil.
2. When the oil is heated,add 2 onions or shallots and saute them till they turn a golden brown color.
3. Add the ginger and garlic slices,and saute them till they are cooked.
4. Add the spice powders (chilly,turmeric,coriander powder and pepper powder)saute this for a quick minute.
5. Add the whole spices (cinnamon sticks,fennel seeds,aniseed seeds and cardamom pods).Saute this for a few minutes,till the oils separates.
6. Add the marinated beef cubes and add salt to taste and saute the meat and the spices till everything incorporates nicely.
7. Add enough water to cover the meat and pressure cook ( if your meat is tender you can cover the pot with a nice fitted lid and cook the meat for 15 to 20 minutes or until your meat is cooked,I pressure cooked my meat for 3 whistles)

For frying the meat

• 2 Onions or 200 grams of Shallots ( 3/4 cup)
• 4-5 Green Chillies-slit ( adjust to taste )
• 1 cup of sliced coconut
• 20-30 Curry Leaves
• 2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil
  
  Method for making the beef fry 
  
  1. In a wide based pan,add the coconut oil. 
  2. When the oil is heated, add onions,and saute the onions to a golden brown color.
  3. Add the green chillies,coconut slices,curry leaves and saute these to a nice golden brown color.
  4. Add the cooked beef to this mixture ( add a teaspoon of oil and leave it on the heat)
  5. Stir fry this,stirring once in a while for five to ten minutes .
  6. Add salt if needed,and the water in this dish should have completed evaporated.
  7. This dish tastes the best the following day,as the meat absorbs all the spices really well.
  8. This dish is a good appetizer,can be eaten with rice or any Indian flat breads.