“Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita”

Sometimes you just get a taste for something different, something you’ve never made before. We find ourselves making the same things over and over and those times are fine. But today was different when I came upon this recipe. It’s adapted from one of my favorite magazines, Bon Appetit. This magazine never fails to deliver on big flavor, some super easy and some complex. Whatever the reason, I had just received a new issue and ran across a recipe I knew I wanted to make on my next day off. Enter, Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita with its subtle heat and sweetness.

My Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita was adapted from a recipe made at a restaurant in San Francisco, California. Full of tender beef chunks, garlic, onions, apple, fresh ginger, carrots, butternut squash, and potatoes in a sauce made with chicken broth seasoned with curry powder (I use Penzeys Curry The Now Curry), mirin, soy sauce, garam masala, molasses, and sugar.

Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita

In addition, this recipe also features a side called Cucumber Riata. Riata is a yogurt sauce made of Persian cucumbers, garlic and greek yogurt. Serve this deliciously, crunchy, tangy sauce on the side of your serving. Dip your spoon into luscious meat and gravy then scope up a little sauce with your spoonful of curry. Yum-O! Delish! You can also serve the curry over rice, yet I chose not to because I liked the idea of making this recipe into a stew. I added a few more vegetables instead.

Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita can be made two days prior to serving to shorten prep time. It’s definitely a great make ahead dish and warms up beautifully. Due to prepping and cooking time, I suggest saving this recipe for the weekend or your day off as I did. Most noteworthy, Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita is a hearty, winter family meal so worth every effort and time spent in your kitchen. Happy Eating!

Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita

 

Beef Vegetable Curry with Cucumber Raita

3 T. Canola oil

2 pounds beef stew (chuck) meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 medium onions, chopped

1 Braeburn apple, peeled, grated

3 T. mirin

1 T. peeled, grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

3 T. Penzeys Curry (The Now Curry)

1 T. granulated sugar

1/2 t. dark molasses (Robust)

1 T. Garam masala

1 T. Tamari soy sauce

4 cups chicken stock (low-sodium)

1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 large Yukon potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. all-purpose flour

2 T. water

Cucumber Raita

2 Persian Cucumbers, sliced in half lengthwise, seeded

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

Kosher salt

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with salt and black pepper. Add beef in two batches to Dutch oven and browning on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add onions, apple, stirring occasionally, cook until onions are soft, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary. Stir in mirin, ginger, and garlic, stirring occasionally until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add in curry powder, granulated sugar, molasses, garam masala, soy sauce, and chicken stock. Bring mixture to boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, while beef cooks, make Cucumber Raita. Slice seeded cucumber halves into very thin slices. Place in a small bowl and sprinkle with about 1/2 t. salt. Let cucumbers sit about 5 minutes so water is released. Toss several times and then rinse under water. Drain cucumbers on paper towels to remove excess liquid. Squeeze without breaking cucumbers. In a small bowl, mix together cucumbers, garlic and yogurt; adjust seasoning if necessary. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve with curry.

Stir in squash, carrots and potatoes, cover and cook, about 25-30 minutes. Add water by 1/4-cupfuls if needed. While vegetables simmer, in a small bowl mix cornstarch, flour with water until smooth; set aside.

Add 1/4 cup curry liquid to flour mixture. Mix until smooth, adding more liquid to thin. Stir curry while adding in flour mixture. Bring curry back to boil; reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes until curry thickens. Served topped with Cucumber Raita.