Malabar Beef Curry with Coconut and Curry Leaves

• 2 medium Yellow onion
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 25 g Ginger root
• 3 medium Tomato, ripe
• 2 tbsp Coconut oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 pieces Dried red chili
• 1 piece Cinnamon sticks
• 20 leaves Fresh curry leaf
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 800 g Beef stew meat
• 800 ml Coconut milk

1. Thinly slice the onion. Finely grate the garlic and ginger, then roughly chop the tomatoes.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until they start to pop, then add the dried red chilli, cinnamon stick and half the curry leaves and stir for 20 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, ground coriander, ground turmeric and black pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the mixture looks thick and glossy.
5. Add the beef and stir well to coat in the spiced tomato base. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the beef loses its raw colour on the outside.
6. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 55 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
7. In a small frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the remaining curry leaves and cook for 30 to 45 seconds until glossy and very fragrant, then immediately scrape the tempering into the curry and stir through.
8. Simmer uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes to bring everything together, then remove the cinnamon stick before serving. The curry should be rich and spoon-coating; if it is thicker than you like, loosen with a splash of water and warm through.

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