Fragrant spices add great flavor to this easy beef curry dinner. The combination of tender beef, diced tomatoes and coconut milk creates a delicious and comforting meal. It’s served over basmati rice. This is a type of long-grain aromatic white rice. Happily, it’s available in a microwave version, which means you can make the side dish in minutes and there’s no pot to wash.
A hint about the curry powder for this dish. The curry powder sold in supermarkets is a blend of about 15 herbs, spices and seeds. This type of powder loses its flavor quickly. If you have curry powder that is more than 6 months old, buy a new one. It will add more flavor to the dish.
You can use 4 crushed garlic cloves instead of 2 teaspoons minced garlic.
You can use chopped sweet onion instead of frozen chopped onion.
A quick way to defrost the peas and onion is to place them in a sieve and run hot tap water over them.
Brown rice can be used instead of basmati.
Curried Coconut Beef
INGREDIENTS
3/4 pound grass-fed tenderloin
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup frozen diced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup reduced sodium canned diced tomatoes
1 cup light coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cut beef into 3/4-to-1-inch pieces. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown for about 1 minute turning them over as they brown. Remove to a plate. Add the onion, minced garlic, curry powder and turmeric and saute 1 minute, mixing spices together.
Add tomatoes with their juice. Stir to combine all ingredients. Add the coconut milk and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well for 1 minute. Return beef to the skillet and toss in the sauce 1 minute to warm through. Divide in half and serve over the rice on two dinner plates.
Yield 2 servings.
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
Spiced Rice
INGREDIENTS
Microwaveable basmati rice to make 1 1/2 cups
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 teaspoon canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cook rice according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2 cups and save any remaining rice for another meal. Add cumin and peas and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide in half and place on 2 dinner plates.
Yield 2 servings.
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
Tribune News Service
