Beef Curry Kerala Style

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If I had to choose one beef dish to cook for the rest of my life, this is the one. It’s an absolute Kerala classic and a staple in households across the state. The melody of spices that come together with a tender cut of beef will have you smiling from the first bite.

What is Kerala Beef Curry?

Kerala beef curry is a beautifully rich, deeply spiced dish from Kerala, India. Beef is slowly cooked with onions, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, and a bold blend of spices until perfectly tender and full of amazing flavor.

The chaar, or gravy, coats every piece of beef and packs a punch. It’s a comfort food and one of those dishes that only gets better the longer it cooks.

Any special ingredients?

I wouldn’t call them special or hard to find ingredients but instead staples in Indian cooking. Your local grocery store may carry some of these ingredients, and Amazon is another option if you have time. But you’ll have a much better chance of finding everything at an Indian grocery store.

Indian specific ingredients:

1. Curry leaves
2. Coriander powder
3. Garam masala
4. Kashmiri chili powder
5. Indian green chilies

What type of beef should I use?

Any cut of beef is fine, but I usually use chuck. It’s perfect for this because it’s fairly lean but still has some nice marbling. You don't want a super fatty cut for this. Ribeye works too, but just make sure it’s not overly fatty.

Why is my beef not tender and soft?

2 words...cook longer.

The beef needs time to break down, and the only way to get there is to keep cooking it. Mine is usually perfect around the 35 to 40 minute mark of simmering, but some cuts may need more time, and some may need less.

The main thing is: if your beef is still tough, just keep simmering. If the pan starts getting too dry, splash in a little more water and keep going. Feel free to take a piece out along the way and check the tenderness.

More chaar or less chaar?

For anyone wondering, chaar just means the gravy part of the dish. I’ll use the words chaar and gravy interchangeably throughout this recipe.

Some people like a lot of chaar in their beef curry, while others like almost none. Regardless of how you like it, you can make it work with this recipe.

Once your beef is tender after simmering, if you’re happy with the amount of chaar, turn the flame off and enjoy.

If you want a looser chaar (with more liquid), add a little water and let it simmer for a few more minutes until everything comes back together.

If you want a thicker chaar (with less liquid), continue cooking without the lid until it reduces to your desired consistency.

Recipe

Yields: 4 to 6 servings