Malaysian Red Curry of Beef

 Red Curry of Beef (or Daging masak merah)

 Very delicious.  Read the directions carefully.  you may wish to have everything measured/chopped and skinned before starting as the recipe is quite involved for newbies.


 Ingredients:
2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp. ground tumeric
1/2 tsp. course sea salt
1 1/2 lb sirloin steak cut into pieces (2 pieces per person)
3 Tbsp peanut oil
3 Tbsp thick tamarind water (1 oz tamarind paste placed in hot water and strained)
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (blanch them to peel)
1 1/4 cups coconut cream (the thick creamy stuff in the tops of the cans)
handful of mint leaves and cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Red Paste Ingredients:
3 shallots, chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, chopped
4 large red chilies, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 Tbsp peanut oil

Garnish Ingredients:
4 Tbsp deep fried shallots (slice very thin and fry quickly until brown in peanut oil) (drain on paper towel)
2 oz unsalted cashews, fried in a some peanut oil until brown (drain on paper towel)
2 oz raisins, fried very briefly in oil until plump (drain on paper towel)

Directions:

1. Grind the ginger, tumeric and sea salt in a mortar to make a paste. Rub the pieces of beef all over with this paste and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

2. Make the Red Paste- blend all of the red paste ingredients together with 3 Tbsp water until smooth.  Transfer the paste to a large saucepan and simmer over med. heat for 6 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

3.  Heat the oil in a fry pan and fry the pieces of beef, a few at a time for 2 minutes per side. Set aside.

4. Reheat the paste in the saucepan, stirring well for a couple of minutes, then add 1/2 cup HOT water and the tamarind water.  Bring to a boil.  Add the beef, stir and cover.  Continue cooking over medium heat for 6-8 minutes.

5. Add the tomatoes and stir to mix with beef.  Cook for a few more minutes, now add the coconut cream and continue cooking, turning meat several times, until the sauce has reduced.  Just a few minutes.  In the final minute add the cilantro and mint leaves. 

6. Serve hot with garnish of fried shallots, cashews, and plump raisins.

serve with coconut rice