Description
Rick Stein suggests halving the quantity of ghee if this curry is the only element of the meal (as opposed to one curry among many), as it can be quite rich. Shatkora is a citrus fruit found in Bangladesh.
Ingredients
For the garam masala
2 tsp cardamom seeds (from about 40 green pods)
1 tsp cloves
2 x 6cm/2.5in cinnamon stick, broken into smaller pieces
4 large pieces of blade mace
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
For the beef shatkora
1.5kg/3lb 5oz chuck or blade steak
150ml/5fl oz mustard or vegetable oil
10 cloves
6-8 pieces cassia bark
10 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
225g/8oz onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
35g/1¼oz garlic, peeled, crushed
50g/2oz fresh root ginger, peeled, finely grated
1 tsp turmeric powder
5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
4 tsp freshly ground cumin seeds
4 tsp freshly ground coriander seeds
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
100g/3½oz ghee (clarified butter), see note above
300ml/10½fl oz water
1 shatkora or ¼ pink grapefruit (shatkora are available fresh or frozen from some Asian markets)
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garam masala (see recipe above)
Method
1. For the garam masala, heat a dry, heavy-based frying pan over a very low heat. Add all of the ingredients for the garam masala to the pan and toast for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until aromatic (do not let the spices burn or take on any colour).
2. Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Measure out one teaspoon for the beef shatkora, then store the remaining unused garam masala in a screw-top jar.
3. For the beef shatkora, cut the beef into 1in/3cm pieces, trimming away and discarding any large pieces of fat.
4. Heat the mustard or vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based lidded pan over a medium heat. Add the cloves, cassia bark and cardamom pods and allow them to sizzle for a few seconds. Add the onions and cook gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft and light brown in colour.
5. Stir in the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt. Fry for one minute, then add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, for ten minutes.
6. Add the tomato ketchup and ghee and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the boiling water and simmer for 1½ hours, covered, or until the beef is almost tender.
7. Meanwhile, cut the shatkora or grapefruit in half and squeeze out the juice into a jug or bowl. Cut the shatkora halves into quarters and discard three pieces. Remove the residual flesh from the remaining quarter and slice away most of the white pith to leave behind only the zest. Cut the zest on the diagonal into thin strips.
8. After the curry has been cooking for 1½ hours, add the shatkora or grapefruit zest and juice and cook, uncovered, for a further 20-30 minutes or until the beef is tender and the gravy has reduced and thickened around the beef.
9. Skim off the excess oil from the beef shatkora, then add the black pepper, garam masala and salt, to taste.
10. To serve, spoon the beef shatkora into bowls.
