BETTY'S SLOW COOKED BALINESE BEEF CURRY

Betty's Slow Cooked Balinese Beef Curry image

Provided by Betty Bramanis

Time 2h50m

Number Of Ingredients 17

1 tb oil, for frying
1.5 kg (3 pounds) gravy beef - cheap stewing steak
1 large onion
2 long fresh red chillies, finely chopped
1 french shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cm piece of lemon grass sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced
1/4 ts tumeric
1/2 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
200ml (7 fl oz) coconut milk
4 table spoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
1/4 cup hot water
30 grams (just over an ounce) of raw cashews
2 tablespoons extra oil (for the curry paste)

Steps:

1. Using a sharp knife, chop the beef into large 1 inch (3cm chunks.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy based fry pan. Sear the beef (just browned but not cooked all the way through) in two batches and pop into a large stove top casserole dish (such as le creuset or bessemer)
3. In the same fry pan, cook the onion, stirring often. Add to the beef in the casserole dish. Remove the frying pan from the heat
4. Use a food processor or large mortar and pestle to bend the chilli, shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, tumeric, salt, pepper and oil to a smooth paste.
5. Re-heat the frying pan, stir fry the curry paste for 2 minutes until it becomes fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk, kecap manis, water and cashews. Bring the boil.
6. Add the curry paste to the beef and onions in the casserole dish, cover and cook over a low heat stirring occasionally for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. The meat will be fork tender.
7. Serve with steamed fragrant rice and a medley of seasonal steamed vegetables.