main-dishes
Coconut Beef Curry
This cozy Coconut Beef Curry fills the house with warm spices and slow-simmered comfort. Tender chunks of beef chuck are seared for rich flavor, then gently simmered with onion, garlic, fresh ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, and cayenne in a luxurious bath of coconut milk. The result is a silky, fragrant curry with just the right amount of heat, perfect spooned over fluffy rice and finished with cool yogurt and a squeeze of lime. Serve with warm naan for dipping and you have an easy, deeply satisfying RizzieFarms favorite.
Ingredients
Coconut Beef Curry
- 1 lb beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
To Serve
- Plain yogurt, for serving
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Cooked rice, for serving
- Warm naan, for serving (brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar, if desired)
Instructions
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Season and sear the beef
Pat **1 lb beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch pieces** dry with paper towels. Season all over with **1 teaspoon salt** and **1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper**. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat **2 tablespoons vegetable oil** over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer (working in batches if needed) and sear for 3–5 minutes, turning as needed, until all sides are browned. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside, leaving the flavorful drippings in the pan.
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Cook the aromatics and spices
Reduce the heat to medium. Add **1 medium diced onion** to the same pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and lightly golden. Stir in **2 finely grated garlic cloves**, **2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger**, **1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon**, **1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper**, and **1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder**. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices are very fragrant.
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Build the coconut curry base
Pour in **1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk**, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Stir until the coconut milk, aromatics, and spices are fully combined and the mixture comes just up to a gentle simmer.
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Simmer the beef until tender
Return the browned beef along with any accumulated juices and nestle it into the coconut curry sauce. Adjust the heat to low so the curry simmers gently with just an occasional bubble. Cover the pot partially with a lid and cook for about **1½ hours**, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender. Taste and adjust with additional **salt** and **black pepper** as needed.
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Serve with rice, yogurt, lime, and naan
Fluff **cooked rice** and warm your **naan** (brushed with a little olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar if you like). Spoon the hot **coconut beef curry** over rice. Top each serving with a spoonful of **plain yogurt** and a squeeze of **fresh lime juice** from the lime wedges. Serve immediately, with extra naan on the side for dipping.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, you can marinate the **1 lb beef chuck** in **1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder**, **1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon**, **1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper**, **1 teaspoon salt**, and **1/2 teaspoon black pepper** for 30 minutes before searing.
- If the curry becomes too thick during simmering, stir in a splash of water or extra coconut milk to loosen it to your preferred consistency.
- This curry tastes even better the next day after the flavors have melded in the refrigerator.
- You can add vegetables such as diced potatoes, carrots, or bell peppers during the last 30–40 minutes of simmering if you’d like a heartier one-pot meal.