Video recipe for Naadan Kanthari Beef Roast or Kerala beef roast

Ingredients  

For the initial cooking of beef 

700 gms beef, cubes

½ tsp turmeric powder 

1 tsp black pepper powder 

1 tsp red chilli powder 

Salt to taste (about 1 tsp)

½ cup of water 

For making the gravy 

1 tbsp of Kanthari chillies or Bird’s Eye chillies, sliced

1 green chilli 

2 sprigs of curry leaves 

3 garlic cloves 

1 inch piece of ginger 

¼ cup sliced coconut pieces

2 tablespoons coconut oil (you can substitute with a vegetable oil, but would not be as flavourful)

1 ½ cup of shallots, minced 

1 tbsp of coriander powder 

1 tsp black pepper powder 

2 tsps of garam masala (can be store bought, here is also a link to make it at home)

12 to 13 cashew nuts 

¼ cup of coconut milk (fresh or re-constituted)

Preparation Time: 15 mins 

Cooking time: 30 mins 

Serves: 4 to 5

Method 

Step: 1 

Pressure cook the beef with turmeric powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder, salt and half a cup of water. It takes about 3 to 4 whistles to cook through and keep aside. 

Step: 2 

Chop the shallots and keep them aside.  

Step: 3 

Grind Bird’s Eye chillies, green chilli and one sprig of curry leaf in a blender with a bit of water and keep it aside.   

Step: 4 

Pound the ginger and garlic together, and keep it aside.  

Step: 5 

Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a deep pan and fry the sliced coconut pieces until it turns golden, then keep it aside. 

Step: 6 

Sauté the chopped shallots in the same pan. Add a bit of salt to make the sautéing faster. Cook over medium flame till shallots turn golden. 

Step: 7 

Add the pounded ginger and garlic. Sauté further until the raw smell dissipates. 

Step: 8 

Add coriander powder and 1 tsp of black pepper powder and stir for a few seconds on a low flame. 

Step: 9 

Add the ground Bird’s Eye chilli mix, and one sprig of curry leaf. Stir for a few seconds. 

Step: 10

Add the cooked beef and mix well with the masala.  Continue stirring the meat over a medium flame for a few minutes. 

Step: 11 

Add 2 teaspoons of garam masala. Sauté well.

Step: 12 

Add the beef stock and cook with the lid covered for five minutes, over a low flame.

Step: 13 

Meanwhile, grind 12 to 13 cashews and ¼ cup of coconut milk together and keep aside.

Step: 14 

Add the fried coconut chips and mix well. 

Step: 15 

Next is to add the ground cashew mix to the beef and combine well. 

Step: 16 

Finally, garnish with a few curry leaves. The tasty and traditional ‘Beef Kanthari Roast’ is ready. 

Recipe courtesy: Sobha Varghese is a homemaker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes

Video by: Varghese Mathew, Special to Gulf News