Delicious Kerala Beef Fry with Coconut

If you've had a look around Spice and Life, you will have realized that I cook quite a few South Indian recipes. My parents-in-law are from Kerala and although my husband Jay was born and brought up in Mumbai, he enjoyed a varied North to South diet, thanks to home-cooking and street food.

This Kerala beef fry recipe is one of my favorites [I mostly share his favorites, so this is MY chance!] as it combines beef, coconut oil and pieces of pulp, green chilies, as well as many curry leaves, which are an ingredient that I would add in most dishes if I could!

Although the recipe sounds quite long to prepare and it seems like there are way too many ingredients, that is not the case! Most of the cooking is done by the pressure cooker, while quite a few of the ingredients are used twice, once in the initial marination, and once in the roasting part at the end.

There is no doubt this is one of the most delicious Indian dishes, and this is an easy, awesome recipe!

Kerala Beef Fry Recipe Ingredients

• Diced Beef: Stew beef is the best option for this recipe, with chuck roast and round being the top choices. These cuts become very tender and melt in your mouth.
• Onions and/or Pearl Onions: While traditionalists will say that only pearl onions must be used, regular onions work well too. For ease, I tend to use regular onions for the marinade and pearl onions for the roasting part, however, you can choose one type and use it for both steps.
• Ginger, and Garlic: For this recipe, it is best to use fresh ginger and garlic, however, should you not have them, ginger garlic paste can be used instead.
• Curry Leaves: These are an essential ingredient for Kerala-style beef fry. They can be found in any Asian or Indian grocery shop, and I'd recommend using fresh or frozen ones, rather than dry, as they are more flavorful.
• Coconut Pieces: This ingredient can be skipped, increased, or decreased in quantity, as preferred. Fresh coconut can be bought in any supermarket [in the snacking fruit island], however, in Indian grocery shops it can be also purchased frozen, which is the type I use and recommend.
• Black Pepper: Cracked black pepper rather than pepper powder for this recipe, if possible! The flavor complements the beef roast perfectly.
• Green Chiles: These are used in both the marination and cooking; green chilies add a very flavorful heat to the beef Ularthiyathu. Should you not find Indian green chiles or bird's eye chiles, Serrano peppers may be used instead. Here, I cover the best green chiles substitute.
• Coriander Powder, Kashmiri Chili Powder, and Turmeric Powder: These are three standard spices found in most Indian food.
• Fennel Seeds: They bring freshness to the dish and work perfectly with the heat. Fennel powder or star anise can be used instead if needed.
• Meat Masala, and Garam Masala: These ground spices are made using a whole spice mix that differs from brand to brand. For both you can either make your own or buy them pre-made; I like using Eastern Meat Masala and Everest Garam Masala.
• Tomato, and White Wine Vinegar: They both give a little tanginess, and you can either use them both, or skip one of the two in the process, should you prefer, but don't skip both.
• Coconut Oil: This is the king of all ingredients for Kerala-style cooking! If you don't have it, use a neutral-tasting oil instead, such as canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil. Don't opt for strong oils, like olive oil, as they would change the end result.

How To Make Kerala Beef Fry?

1. How To Prepare The Beef Fry Masala

1. In a frying pan, heat up the oil on medium heat, and, once warm, add the thinly sliced onions.
2. Mix the onions and fry for a minute, then add the ginger, garlic, fresh chilies, curry leaves, and a little salt.
3. Once the onions become soft, and the other ingredients have lost the smell of rawness, add the spices needed for the masala, including the fennel seeds.
4. Mix well and reduce the heat to medium-low. Mix frequently and continue until the spices are cooked; if the mix is too dry, add an extra teaspoon of oil to help.
5. Once the spices are ready, add the thinly chopped tomato and cook until it softens.
6. Once the tomato is soft, allow the masala to cool slightly, then move it to a blender and add half a cup of water.
7. Blend the masala until you obtain a smooth paste. If you need a little more water, add it, but try not to make this too watery.

2. How To Cook The Beef

1. In a large bowl add the diced meat, the beef fry masala you just prepared, and a teaspoon of salt. Mix well and move to the pressure cooker. If you have only added half a cup of water to prepare the masala, add half a cup more to the beef.
2. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil on top of the beef, then close the cooker safely.
3. Pressure cook the beef until tender. It took me half an hour on medium heat to achieve a melt-in-your-mouth consistency, however, on medium-high heat, it should be quicker and require only two whistles given the pressure.
4. Allow the natural release of the pressure then check the meat. If it is soft and tender, then proceed to the next step, if not continue cooking until ready. There should be very little gravy left at this stage.

3. Prepare The Beef Fry With Coconut

1. In a frying pan on medium heat, add the oil, and once warm, add the coconut slivers. Mix frequently, as these can overcook very quickly.
2. As soon as the coconut pieces start to turn golden on the edges, add the chopped pearl onions, chopped garlic and ginger, green chilies, and a pinch of salt.
3. Cook until the pearl onions turn golden and the ginger and garlic are cooked.
4. Next, add the cooked beef and all its masala to the pan and mix well. As the beef should have almost no gravy, add a cup of water to it and mix well.
5. This step may be the longest hands-on one. Keep the pan on medium-high heat, and mix the curry well. The water will start to evaporate, the gravy will thicken and the curry will turn darker. This is the part where you roast the beef Ularthiyathu, and the whole dish will turn a warm red-brown color.
6. Once the curry is semi-dry [it will take about 10 minutes], add the black pepper, vinegar, and curry leaves to the pan. Mix well and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Lastly, once you are happy with the consistency of the gravy [keep it semi-dry or more liquid for a main course, and dry for a starter], add a last teaspoon of coconut oil, mix well and the Kerala beef fry is ready to be served with rice, parottas, appam, or any flatbread you like!

How to store Kerala beef fry?

• In the fridge: Beef fry can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• In the freezer: This Kerala-style beef fry can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then thoroughly reheat it in the microwave or in a pan, adding a little water if needed. Always serve hot.

Kerala Beef Fry: pictures from street stalls to high-end hotels

Tips and Tricks for Kerala Beef Fry

• Green Chilies and Chili Powder: These two ingredients bring heat to the recipe. You can increase or reduce as preferred.
• Meat Masala and Garam Masala: Both these ingredients are spice mixes, and depending on the part of India or brand you are purchasing, they will change. If you can get South Indian garam masala, then you can use that, without the need for meat masala.
• Semi-Dry or Dry: You can make this recipe your own, by choosing to make it dry or with some gravy - it all depends on how you are planning to eat it. If you have over-dried the curry, simply add some water again, bring it to a boil, and simmer for a minute before serving.

There is no doubt that the whole family will enjoy this recipe, as it is rich, tender, flavorful, and can be enjoyed with either simple steamed rice or layered parottas [or any flatbread for that matter].

The prep time for this recipe will really make you appreciate good food, as the aromatic spices will fill your kitchen, making you feel like you are in Kerala, enjoying the sunshine on your face, with a chilled glass of your favorite tipple. Enjoy!

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