Sizzling Skillet Coconut Curry Beef
I just want to start this entry off by saying…..
For those of you who are on the fence about curry – first of all, shut the hell up because curry is insanely tasty. But seriously, give this a shot. The coconut milk really tames down the spices & there are some small additions you can make to either sweeten up the broth more to your liking or using some acid to balance out the dish. The addition of Thai Basil or even Purple Basil shredded on top can take your tastebuds in a whole different direction! Indian food has a bad rap sometimes, but it’s not my fault you’re a damn simpleton.
*Faux Pas?
Yea. So, uh. Truth time. When I first tried this recipe out on my husband, he was asking me where I got it from – I was so proud of myself, right? I was like, “I made it up! I couldn’t find hardly anything online (that was quick & easy) for an Indian dish with beef!”
He slowly looked up at me with all the wisdom & love in his eyes and said, “well honey, isn’t the cow sacred in India?” SHIIIIIIIIIT. I about died right then & there at our table. I wasn’t “embarrassed” per se…but I felt hella stupid. I didn’t know what to think. I was just trying to cook a different protein for us that week other than cHiCkEn because Chris doesn’t like the same protein twice in the same week. (eyerollllll)
Anyway. I saved myself. I looked it up – he was *mostly* correct so I respect that. I found very few Indian curry dishes with beef so I was even more relieved that I was original! Coconut milk & curry are the delicious base for so many Indian dishes, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make everything shine that much brighter!
new to the game?
Curry itself has been used for centuries — look it uppp. Used & appreciated by many countries, alike.
Curry Simmering Sauce is new to me — & I really like it!
I buy jars of curry simmering sauce whenever & wherever I find them! Each brand always has some sort of different take on what they deem to be a curry simmering sauce — & I love all the variations!
I have found excellent curry simmering sauces at :
Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Lidl & Harris Teeter.
Some are just liquified curry with hints of butter, some have flecks of real coconut, some have additions of tumeric & garlic — ALL ARE DELICIOUS.
Curry Simmering Sauce is especially important in this dish because it incorporates an extra richness & stretches your sauce a bit farther so you can pour its lusciousness over rice, veggies, Naan, whatever else your heart desires!
further pleading my love for curry, just in case
My Sizzling Skillet Coconut Curry Beef is perfect for summer or winter – it doesn’t require the oven to be turned on AT ALL & it doesn’t take particularly long to make, so don’t worry about standing over a hot stove – win, win! But for a rainy or cold night, this is a bowl of pure comfort. Put on a curry sweater!
Allowing the beef to marinate with the canola oil, cornstarch & water allows it reach room temperature & give a more even cooking time & doesn’t shrink or become tough in the pan due to the meat being too chilled.
Ingredients
FOR BEEF MARINADE :
· 2 TBS canola oil
· 2 TBS water
· 2 TBS cornstarch
· ½ TSP of each : S+P & garlic powder
· 1 LB beef stew pieces (or any kind of beef you like, cubed)
FOR VEGGIES :
· 2 TBS canola oil
· 1 small yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
· 1 small red bell pepper, sliced thin
· 1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced thin
· 1 TBS garlic paste
· 1 TBS ginger paste
· S+P, to taste
ALL THE OTHER SHIT :
· 2 TBS curry powder
· 1 can light coconut milk (or 2, see below)
· ½ cup yellow curry simmering sauce, optional (Google is your friend)
· ¼ cup water (if needed)
· Juice of ½ lime
· Drizzle Sriracha, to taste
· Drizzle Honey, to taste
· S+P, to taste
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together the canola oil, water & cornstarch. Sprinkle salt, pepper & garlic powder all over the beef cubes. Toss beef in bowl to coat with the cornstarch mixture – cover with plastic wrap & set aside, out of the fridge, for 30 minutes.
Slice your peppers & onions – set aside.
In a large skillet on medium heat, add 2 TBS of canola oil and carefully place beef cubes into the sizzling oil. Leave beef cubes for 2 minutes before flipping them to the other side for another 2 minutes, undisturbed.
Remove beef cubes from the oil, place on a plate & cover with tin foil – set aside. Your beef WILL NOT be cooked all the way – that is fine! It will finish cooking & become more tender in the curry-coconut simmering sauce later! ((if you don’t like your beef pink at all then you’re a questionable human but I guess you should adjust your damn cooking times))
Next, peppers & onions go into the same skillet that the beef was just cooking in. You may need to add a tad more canola oil – if not, your peppers & onions should soften up just fine!
Stir your peppers & onions around for about 3-5 minutes – you want them soft, but not falling apart, damn. Next, you can season with some sprinkles of S+P & garlic powder. This is the great thing about rich food – it is seasoned every *clap* step *clap* of *clap* the *clap* WAY!
Now its time for some magic. The curry powder. Don’t be shy, don’t be scared, come on in, the water’s fiiiiiiine.
1 TBS at a time, sprinkle your golden curry powder all over your peppers & onions. Stir it around and savor the aroma. It will tingle the senses. It also might make you sneeze – either way, it’s delicious. Once you have stirred both TBS of your curry powder in, turn down your heat to medium-low.
Add in your can of coconut milk – it looks watery with clunks of thick coconut paste – don’t worry, it will all dissolve & be perfect. Allow your coconut milk to simmer & slowly bubble (maybe 5 minutes) and be sure to scrape all the browned bit leftover by the beef if you haven’t already achieved that with your peppers & onions.
The key to making this sauce a success is the cornstarch that the beef cubes were lightly coated in – it gives the beef a chance to get a better sear, but won’t get a major crust or anything crunchy. This allows the curry to slowly thicken over time, naturally.
The addition of the jarred simmering sauce is to stretch your coconut milk & just to add another depth of flavor. You may choose to omit this altogether, but you also might want a 2nd can of coconut milk if you choose to do so.
Next you willl want to drizzle your sriracha, honey & lime juice alllllll over the gloriousness you hae just created! Take a taste — you’ve earned it, dammit! Everything should taste slightly sweet, coconutty, (if thats even a word?), rich & super beefy.
Add your beef cubes back in & allow them to simmer for a good 5 minutes on medium-low. You’ll be wanting everything to bubble nicely by now but not be scorching hot to burn the shit out of everything — you feel me?
These flavors come together beautifully & rather quickly, so definitely take a chance & venture outside your comfort zone with this dish – it truly might surprise you! I make this when we are craving something beefy, but not necessarily heavy.
thanks for coming to my curry talk
We served this dish with garlic Naan, basmati rice, & a side of wilted spinach. It was all so yummy – the flavors all played well together & it’s perfect for after a busy work day – everything can simmer on the stove for as little or as long as you want while you clean up the kitchen! – don’t forget to whistle while you work!
This Indian dish is easy enough for a weeknight meal with minimal cleanup – if you decide to be a damn champ and make sides that require a ton more pots & pans, then that shitty decision is on you! I hope you will try this dish & quickly see why it’s become a staple in our household, we enjoy it and hope you do too – but if you didn’t, (you know the damn drill by now) –then, SAME.
Thanks for stopping by!
I appreciate you stopping by! If you loved it, I’d love to hear from you.
If you hated it, then same.
Have a great day & look for my next entry!
© 2021 Cookin’ & Cussin’
