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Beef And Tomato Curry
Beef And Tomato Curry With Cumin Scented Rice, Fresh Tomato, Coriander, and Dagger Pod Green Chili
How To Layer Spices For The Perfect Beef And Tomato Curry
My love affair with curries has been vast. The art of flavor layering is something I learned a long time ago. Layering spices into a dish to produce a unique flavor profile requires skill and knowledge.
Layering spices into curry is not hard, all you need is an understanding of what needs to be added at what stage of the cooking process. The best way to layer spices for a beef and tomato curry is to start with a base of bay leaves, mustard, and cumin seeds.
Then, add in a spice paste, and cook it out until your kitchen fills with the intoxicating aroma of spices. Lastly add garam masala, ground turmeric, and Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper for heat.
Toasting the bay leaves, mustard, and cumin seeds for 30 seconds will activate those beautiful flavors. Also, add a delicious toasted spice flavor that will give your curries depth of flavor.
This recipe yields a flavorful and aromatic beef and tomato curry that’s perfect for any occasion. Enjoy!
In hot oil toast the mustard and cumin seeds, adding the bay leaves this should take 30 seconds to active those beautiful flavors.
Sure brisket isn’t traditionally a cut that is used for making curry. However, I like using brisket because it has some fat and as we all know fat is flavor. Brisket is also a flavorful cut of beef.
This is one of the go-to curry recipes that I’ve cooked for many years, this is a dish I’ve perfected over time and has changed from the original dish I created.

This all started with most of the dishes I create while walking through my local butchery Clarks Organic Meats.
How To Make Indian Curry Paste
Spice pastes, I really enjoy making them, I can get adventurous they can be spicy, mild, or no heat and packed with flavor.
The spice paste I make for my aromatic beef and tomato curry is not your traditional Indian spice paste.
You can make your own spice pastes first start with your aromatics like onions, garlic, ginger, or galangal.
Next think about fresh herbs like coriander (aka cilantro), Vietnamese mint, fresh curry leaves, or fenugreek leaves.
Also think about the acidity of fresh lemon, lime, kaffir limes, this will bring your spice paste to life.
Then if you want to add some heat fresh chili, cayenne pepper, chili powder, or flakes.
Think about dried spices like ground cumin, coriander, garam masala, chaat masala, ground cardamom, nutmeg, ground cloves, or peppercorns.
Lastly the most underrated ingredient in the kitchen….. salt.
These are just a few ingredients to get you started making your own spice pastes.
Of course, there are many more ingredients you could use however for now just keep it simple.



Food Is Very Subjective
What I like, you might not, and vice versa. Different people have different taste buds – some overly savory flavor orientated.
Others are at the other end of the scale. Some people may want overly spicy, sour, or sweet flavor notes.
There is a cultural aspect that is sometimes overlooked, Halal and Kosher are two that come to mind.
Allergens in today’s world are trending where people make an informed or uninformed lifestyle choice to remove allergens from their diet, gluten, dairy or soy are good examples.
Then there are the people who if they eat a certain food group like peanuts or crustaceans (shellfish) both these foods can induce Anaphylaxis: A life-threatening reaction.
Adequate treatment for anaphylaxis can save lives.
If you suspect that you or anyone are experiencing a severe allergic reaction, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis include but are not limited to hives, difficulty breathing, and sudden weakness or confusion.
Getting to the point the quantities in this recipe are only a guideline, you can add more or less of any ingredient or omit something altogether.
However in saying that for the best flavor profile and micro-nutrients it is recommended that you follow the recipe and don’t remove too many ingredients.
Larder Stables And Must Have Kitchen Tools
Essential Kitchen Tools – Must Haves
You can’t be at a professional level in the kitchen unless you own a variety of high-end tools. Genius kitchen gadgets are an essential part of any home cook’s or aspiring chef’s arsenal. From some of the best chef knives, and kitchen cookware, to wooden cutting boards. These will set you apart from others and get you ready with what you need to start making meals like a chef.
My Professional Recommendation
Cuckoo CR-0351F Electric Heating Rice Cooker (Red)
The Cuckoo CR-0351F rice cooker not only cooks perfect rice every time, but it can also slow cook beef ribs in half the cooking time and functions as a pressure cooker too!
I’ve been using my Cuckoo rice cooker for a while.
Some features make cooking easier, including delayed timer programs and a keep warm mode.
I use it when I need to cook something else simultaneously like pork or if the food requires more hours than my oven or stovetop can give me-even overnight!

Many chefs, including myself, prefer sea salt like Maldon salt flakes or Himalayan pink salt. Both can be used for cooking and finishing. They have a refined flavor that brings out the natural taste of food.

Aromatic Beef And Tomato Curry
Ingredients
Curry Meat
- 800 grams Beef brisket
Vegetables
- 1 each Onion - brown
- 5 each Tomatoes - medium-sized
Spice Paste
- 1 each Onion - brown
- 6 cloves Garlic - peeled
- 1 piece Ginger - thumb-sized
- 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp Cumin - ground
- 1 tsp Coriander - ground
- 1 each Lemon - juice only
- 1½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
Frying Spices
- 1 tbsp Cumin - seeds
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard seeds
- 2 each Bay leaves - dried
Ground Spices
- 1 tbsp Garam masala
- 1 tbsp turmeric - ground
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder - optional
Condiments
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- 1 tbsp Cumin - seeds
- Rice bran or vegetable oil
- Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish
- Coriander aka cilantro - chiffonade
- 1 each Tomato
- 2 each Green chilies - dagger pod
Instructions
Brisket
- Remove some of the access fat from the brisket and dice into about 2 – 3cm (.7 – 1.2 inch) pieces, season with salt.
- Heat a pot add a drizzle of vegetable oil, and sear off the beef until it is well caramelized.Remove from the pot and set it to one side.
Spice Paste
- In a blender add the diced onion, cloves of garlic, sliced ginger, smoked paprika, Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, pink Himalayan salt, the juice of one lemon, and lastly a drizzle of vegetable oil.
- Blend to a smooth paste, this should take about 30 seconds.
Starting The Curry Base
- In the same pot that the beef was caramelized in, there should be some fat and oil in there.Bring up to medium heat and add in the cumin seeds, yellow mustard seeds, and bay leaves.Toast until mustard seeds start to pop and spices become fragrant about 40 – 50 seconds.Add the spice paste to the pot and start to cook it out.
- add the caramelized beef back into the pot and coat with the spice paste.Add in the diced onions. Turn the heat down to low and stir every 1 – 2 minutes, do this for 4 – 5 minutes.Now add in the last of the spices, garam masala, ground turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder. The chili powder can be optional if you don’t want your curry too spicy hot. Deglaze the pan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, place a lid onto the pot and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
Cooking Rice
- For the best result use a rice cooker. However, if you don’t own a rice cooker, I suggest you buy one.The best way to cook rice without a rice cooker is in a pot.First, measure out the cups of uncooked rice and place them into the pot. Wash the rice 4 – 5 times, add fresh water so the level is about 1 – 2 cm above the rice.Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds. If you put your forefinger into the water and just touch the rice the water level should be just above the first knuckle on your finger.Place the pot on the stove and cover with a tight-fitting lid, bring to the boil turn the heat down to the lowest setting and leave for 15 minutes.Remove the rice from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes, DO NOT remove the lid.
Finishing The Curry
- After 1 ½ of cooking the curry remove the lid and simmer for 40 minutes more to reduce the sauce.
- Boil water, core, and cut a crisis cross in the bottom of the five small tomatoes, place into a bowl and cover with boiling water, let stand for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Remove the tomatoes from the water, the skin should just slide off.
- Roughly chop the five tomatoes and add to the curry about 15 minutes before the curry is completed, check the seasoning.The curry should have thickened slightly.
Garnish
- Core and finely dice the last two tomatoes, thinly slice the chilies, and chiffonade the coriander aka cilantro.
Plating Your Curry
- Add the rice and curry to the plate or you can serve the rice separately.Garnish the curry with a mixture of diced tomatoes, chili, and coriander.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 150g Beef curry with rice, fresh tomato, coriander, and chili
Calories 434 | Total Fat 30.5 g | Carbohydrates 33.6 g | Fiber 2.8 g | Protein 27.5 g | Iron 4.11 mg

My Enjoyment For Your Benefit And Value
I create these dishes for your enjoyment, I have fun doing it. After cooking in manic fast pasted environments, cooking at home is relaxing and therapeutic.
If I can add value to your life, giving you ideas for breakfast, lunch, or dinner even children’s meals I will have achieved what I set out to do.
All the ingredients in this recipe you can find at your local whole foods or grocery store.
I always try to use organic, free-range, or ethically farmed products, the traceability of the product is also important to me.
This usually has a story behind it that I can pass on to my family, friends, customers, and you.
Try this recipe and I hope you enjoy cooking and eating it as much as we did. I believe that recipes are worth nothing until you share them. Let me know how you got on with my beef and tomato curry, and also what you think of the flavor.