Kerala Beef Ularthiyathu (Beef Fry)

Ularthiyathu means 'roasted dry'. The beef is first cooked with spices until tender, then roasted in coconut oil until almost black at the edges, with thin slices of coconut that turn crisp.

In Kerala it is eaten with parotta, appam or rice and is a must at Christian festivals.

• Serves 4
• Prep 20 min
• Cook 90 min
• gluten-free · dairy-free · Spicy
• Famous in Kerala

Ingredients

• 800 g beef chuck, in 2 cm cubes
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• 1½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 8 garlic cloves and 4 cm ginger, crushed
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 2 onions or 10 shallots, sliced
• ½ fresh coconut in thin slivers (or 4 tbsp desiccated coconut)
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• Salt

Method

1. Mix the beef with coriander, chilli, turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp pepper, half the garlic-ginger, the green chillies and 1 tsp salt.
2. Pressure-cook with 100 ml water for 4–5 whistles, or simmer covered for 60–70 minutes, until tender. Keep the liquid.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a wide pan. Fry the coconut slivers until golden, then add the onions, the rest of the garlic-ginger and the curry leaves.
4. Fry until the onions are brown, then add the beef with its liquid.
5. Roast on medium-high heat, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until the liquid is gone and the beef is dark brown and coated.
6. Finish with the fennel, the remaining pepper and garam masala and a few more curry leaves.

Tip: The longer you roast in the last step, the better – just keep stirring so nothing burns.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.