East Indian Beef Curry
I wanted to see what would happen if an East Indian curry met a piece of beef that had absolutely nowhere to be.
A whole slab of short ribs gets the long treatment with homemade bottle masala, red wine and beef stock, before coconut milk joins the party towards the end. The idea was to let the beef get properly tender without cooking the coconut into oblivion.
Three-and-a-half hours later, the ribs were barely holding onto the bone, the gravy had picked up all that beefy, gelatinous goodness, and the bottle masala was doing exactly what bottle masala does best.
Not exactly a weeknight curry. Very much worth cancelling plans for.
Shamdey
There was something unexpectedly meditative about making Shamdey. The ingredient list is remarkably short, which means instead of rushing through a dozen spices and processes, you get to spend a little time with each one.
Brown the onion properly, then take it out. Let the beef fry. Wait for the ginger and garlic to become aromatic. Give the meat all the time it needs to soften. Add the fennel only with the potatoes so its fragrance stays fresh. Finely chop the fried onion and return it right at the end. Every ingredient has a job, and every step seems to happen only when it needs to.
The result is deceptively simple: beef, potatoes and a light, soupy gravy, but with layers of sweetness, warmth and aroma built from very little.
A quiet recipe with very loud attention to detail.
Lonvas
Lonvas begins with a rather excellent proposition: what if the radish got to cook in beef stock?
The East Indian answer involves beef, chunks of radish, coconut milk, tamarind and a generous spoonful of bottle masala. As everything simmers together, the radish goes from sharp and crunchy to soft, juicy little sponges full of beefy, spiced gravy. Frankly, it may be getting the better end of the arrangement.
Bottle masala is responsible for most of the personality here. That famously crowded East Indian spice blend brings heat, warmth and complexity, while tamarind sharpens things up and coconut milk rounds out the gravy at the end.
The beef is excellent, obviously. But don't be surprised if you find yourself fishing around the pot for another piece of radish.
Nadan Beef Curry
Nadan Beef Curry is Kerala comfort food doing what it does best: beef, coconut milk, curry leaves and spices slowly getting acquainted in a pot. Unlike the darker, drier beef roasts, this one stays gloriously gravy-forward, with potatoes soaking up all that beefy, coconutty goodness along the way. A final tempering of shallots, mustard, fennel and curry leaves provides the customary Kerala fireworks. There is also a sneaky spoonful of coconut powder for extra body, a trick I picked up from a Mallu friend and have absolutely no intention of giving back. Best eaten with appam, rice or anything capable of soaking up an unreasonable amount of gravy.
Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs are probably one of the world's most famous examples of a dish that looks deceptively simple. The meatballs themselves are soft and gently spiced with nutmeg and allspice, browned in a pan and then finished in a silky cream gravy made from all those delicious browned bits. The result is a rich, comforting dish where the savory sauce ties everything together and makes the whole plate feel complete. It is comfort food with surprisingly good engineering.
Slow-Braised Malabar Beef Roast
Few dishes are as rewarding as a well made Kerala beef roast, especially when the meat is given the time it deserves. This version takes a slightly longer route: the beef is first slow-braised until tender, then cut into chunks and roasted again with deeply caramelised onions, coconut oil, curry leaves, pepper and spices. The result is dark, intensely savoury and just a little bit sticky, with the braising liquid doing double duty as the secret weapon in the final masala. It is not exactly a quick dinner, but then again, good beef has never been particularly interested in your schedule.
Thattukada-Style Beef Curry
There is something very satisfying about a good thattukada curry. Nothing fancy, just beef, onions, spices and enough coconut oil to make everything behave properly. The spices are ground together rather than added separately, which gives the curry a deep, rounded flavour as they cook down with the onions and beef. The final result is thick, spicy and gloriously messy, exactly what you want alongside a flaky parotta or a pile of puttu.