Beef and lentil curry
Serves 6
| Indgredients | |
| 3-4 | small dried red chillies |
| 60ml | oil |
| 2 | red onions, cut into thin wedges |
| 4 | cloves garlic, finely chopped |
| 15ml | grated fresh ginger |
| 15ml | garam masala |
| 3 | cardamom pods, lightly crushed |
| 1 | cinnamon stick |
| 10ml | ground turmeric |
| 750g | chuck or gravy beef, diced |
| 400g | can chopped tomatoes |
| 125ml | brown or green lentils |
| 125ml | red lentils |
| 200g | pumpkin, diced |
| 150g | baby eggplant, quartered lengthways, diced |
| 125g | baby English spinach leaves |
| 15ml | tamarind purée |
| 30ml | grated palm sugar |
Method
- Soak the chillies in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and chop finely.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the chilli, garam masala, cardamom, cinnamon stick, turmeric and ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the beef and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, or until the meat changes colour and is well coated in the spices.
- Add the tomatoes, lentils, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups (750ml) water. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, or until the lentils are tender. Stir frequently to prevent any of the mixture sticking to the base of the pan. Add a little water, if necessary.
- Add the pumpkin and eggplant to the pan, and cook, covered for 20 minutes, or until the beef and vegetables are tender and the sauce thickens. Stir in the spinach, tamarind purée and palm sugar and cook, covered, for a further 10 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and serve.
Recommended wine: Merlot
