Warming dish from India

Kerala Ground Beef Stew

Stews are the ultimate cold-weather comfort food and the heartiest way to warm you up this winter. The warmth and comfort of a hot stew really does warm you up from within. There’s a reason why they call cold weather, the soup season!

Stews simmered in coconut milk are so comforting to the soul. The easiest and quickest protein to cook in a stew is ground meat. I use beef but pork mince can also be used.

This stew is creamy and delicately spiced and so easy to put together for a quick meal.

3 tablespoons good quality coconut oil

3 cardamom pods

3 whole cloves

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 onion diced small

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

15-20 curry leaves

3 medium potatoes peeled and chopped into small cubes

1/2 a head of cauliflower florets

1/2 head of broccoli florets

3 carrots peeled and chopped into small cubes

10 mushrooms cleaned and diced small

250g minced beef

1/2 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 vegetable stock cube

salt to taste

ground black pepper as required

Melt coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot that has a lid over medium heat.

Add the whole spices like cardamom and cloves and cinnamon before the oil gets too hot to flavour the oil.

Add the chopped onion, minced ginger, minced garlic and curry leaves and stir for about 3 minutes on medium heat until the onions soften and become fragrant. Add the garam masala and curry powder, lower the heat and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced beef and stir fry for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the diced vegetables, the vegetable cube, salt & pepper and stir fry on low heat till combined. Add half the can of coconut milk and ½ cup of water to the pot. Bring the stew to a simmer, then cover with the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes on low to medium heat, or until the diced potatoes are tender.

Pour in the remaining coconut milk, bring the mixture to a quick boil, close the lid and turn off the fire. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Eat with warm rice or just as a soup in a bowl. Garnish with cilantro or curry leaves.

Other vegetables like corn and peas can be added to the stew but cooking times will vary depending on the cooking time for the vegetables

Serene Tharian, arranges South Indian Dinner Clubs in Cyprus, through her cooking club, The Best Exotic Kerala Kitchen. She can be contacted on 99 222462 to book a South Indian meal with your friends. Instagram/Facebook: @thebestexotickeralakitchen