ANGLO-INDIAN BEEF SMORE STEW

ANGLO-INDIAN BEEF SMORE STEW

Beef Smore Stew is an old Colonial dish that was brought to India from Ceylon. It is actually a Ceylonese Dutch Dish which is still popular there. A whole Fillet of Beef Loin or stewing Beef is slowly simmered in a spiced Coconut gravy, then sliced like beef roast and served with the gravy along with either a bowl of rice or bread. The beef could be substituted with mutton or pork if desired.

 Serves 6   Time required: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 kg chunk of good Beef Tender Loin or Stewing Beef

3 onions chopped finely

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

2 tomatoes chopped

2 carrots chopped into small pieces

1 cup peas

6 or 8 green beans broken into pieces

3 cloves

2 one inch pieces of cinnamon

1 teaspoon whole pepper corns

1 bay leaf

3 green chillies slit lengthwise

1 teaspoon chillie powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon cumin powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 cup coconut milk (or 1 small tetra pack)

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon lime / lemon juice

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons oil

 Wash the meat and prick it with a fork or skewer. Rub it well with the lime juice, turmeric powder and lime / lemon juice and leave it aside for about ½ an hour.

Heat the oil in a suitable pan and fry the chopped ginger, chopped garlic, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, pepper corns for a minute. Add the chunk of beef, and sear it on high heat turning it from side to side until brown.

Now add all the other ingredients and mix well. Fry for about 3 or 4 minutes till the tomatoes start to pucker. Add sufficient water and simmer on low heat (approximately one hour) till the meat is tender and the gravy sufficiently thick. Spoon all the gravy into a bowl.

Add a tablespoon of butter and gently fry the cooked meat till golden brown. Remove the meat on to a cutting or carving board and cut it into suitable slices. Transfer to a serving dish and pour the gravy on top.

Serve with either rice or bread.