Easy beef masala- best Indian curry recipe (2024)

Try the beef masala if you want a quick and easy recipe for dinner. It’s simple to prepare and can be made faster with a pressure cooker. The delicious flavor pairs perfectly with white rotis, naans, rice, and parathas. Give it a try!

The Indian spices used in this recipe are likely already available in your kitchen pantry, especially if you like Indian cuisine. Besides, the beef masala is freezer-friendly, so you can prepare a larger batch and portion it for future consumption. The flavor will not noticeably deteriorate for up to a month.

Now let’s get into the details of how to prepare beef masala.

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1. Cut the beef

For the beef stew, it’s recommended to use rump, topside, brisket, or chuck steak instead of high-quality cuts like sirloin since the stewing or pressure-cooking process will break down the tissue, making it tender. I suggest cutting the beef into about one-inch pieces.

2. ​Brown the beef

Brown the beef over medium-high heat until both sides are golden brown will produce a better flavor, especially if you stew it on the stovetop or slow cooker subsequently.

After browning, the browned beef cubes can be stewed with spices Browning the beef during cooking adds an extra layer of flavor through a chemical reaction known as the Maillard reaction. This reaction occurs when the beef is exposed to high heat, resulting in the development of rich flavors that enhance the dish’s overall taste.

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3. Prepare the spices

You need two sets of spices to prepare the beef masala. The first set contains whole spices that must be sautéed with oil to release their aroma. Saute the black pepper, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, and cloves with vegetable oil over low heat. In addition, you can also include coriander seeds and fennel seeds as part of the spice mix. Be careful not to let the oil get too hot, as these spices can burn quickly. Once you can smell their aroma, add the sliced onions to the fragrant spices. Keep stirring until the onions become translucent and slightly browned.

Another set of spices is for stewing the beef. They are ground chili powder, chili flakes, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, paprika, and black pepper.

4. Other ingredients for the beef masala recipe

To prepare this dish, you will need garlic paste and ginger paste. You can make them from scratch or buy ready-made ginger-garlic paste conveniently. Additionally, thinly slice an onion to help thicken the gravy as it cooks. Finally, you may add chopped tomato to enhance the flavor, though this is optional.

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5. Stew the beef

You can cook the beef on the stovetop using a slow or pressure cooker. While the method remains the same, the cooking time varies. Also, browning the beef is optional if you’re short on time.

Here are the steps:

  1. Saute the whole spices with oil for one minute or until you smell the aroma. It’s crucial to keep the heat low to prevent any risk of burning.
  2. After that, include the sliced onion in the spices and keep sauteing until the onion turns a light brown shade. It may take up to a few minutes.
  3. Add beef pieces to the spice and sauté onions to cook for five minutes. The beef will be slightly brown and dry as the liquid from the onion evaporates, resulting in a more flavorful dish.
  4. After the beef has become light brown, add the ginger-garlic paste and continue frying until fragrant.
  5. Next, add salt, red chili powder, chili flakes, garam masala powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, paprika, and crushed black pepper to the beef. Some cooks include green cardamom and bay leaf in the spice blend for additional flavor.
  6. At this point, the beef should be dry with the spices mixed in. You can add a chopped tomato or tomato paste for extra flavor.
  7. To stew the beef, adding water or beef broth is recommended to elevate the taste. The quantity of liquid required is determined by how much gravy you want it to be. I prefer a thick beef masala, so I use the minimum amount of liquid needed to cook the beef. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more water, and adjust the saltiness accordingly.
  8. Now stew the beef until tender. Pressure-cooked beef produces better texture, color, and tenderness than slow cook beef.
  9. Once the beef cubes have become tender, add the yogurt and cook for five minutes.
  10. Finally, transfer the beef masala to a serving dish and sprinkle some coriander as garnish before presenting it.

6. Cook’s note for the beef masala:

  1. One useful tip for preparing beef masala is to use a pressure cooker/Instant Pot. This method can significantly reduce the cooking time and also helps to brown the meat due to the high temperature inside the cooker. Slow cooking does not cause browning.
  2. You can switch up your beef masala recipe by adding a touch of lemon zest during the final cooking stage.
  3. While I prefer yogurt, you should experiment with coconut milk for a unique twist on the classic dish.
  4. I also suggest doing a taste test before finishing cooking the beef. Now you can adjust the taste according to your preference. Adding some ground cayenne pepper if you can take the heat or more gram masala and ground cumin to enhance the taste.

Beef masala is an easy beef curry best served with rice or naan bread.

While beef is not commonly consumed in India, some Indian restaurants in various countries serve beef dishes. We found this particular beef recipe at an Indian restaurant during our stay in New Zealand and decided to share it. It’s worth noting that the restaurant offers a variety of meat options to cater to different preferences

7. Related recipes for beef masala

I want to share some of my favorite recipes if you love spicy food. Here are my top picks:

  1. Beef Rendang: This dish was the top seller on the menu at our former restaurant. It boasts a rich and deep savory flavor derived from the aromatic spices.
  2. Sichuan Boiled Beef: Prepare for a fiery culinary experience. The beef is served with a flavorful broth and encompasses all the quintessential elements of Sichuan-style cuisine. Don’t miss out on trying it!
  3. Malaysian-Style Easy Chicken Curry: Made with local spices and accompanied by potatoes, it is a staple in Malaysian households and will surely please your taste buds.

Yield: 3 servings

Spice up your dinner routine with our easy beef masala. Prepared with aromatic spices and tender beef to make this dish a flavorful delight.

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time30 minutes

Total Time45 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients A

Ingredients B

  • 1 medium size onion, sliced
  • 1 medium size tomato, chopped
  • 500g beef, boneless
  • 5 MINUTES
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1/4 cups water

Ingredients C

Ingredients D

  • 3 tbsp yogurt
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Instructions

  1. Cutting the beef into about one-inch pieces.
  2. Saute ingredients A with oil over low heat. Once you can smell their aroma, add the sliced onions to the fragrant spices. Keep stirring until the onions become translucent and slightly browned.
  3. Add beef pieces to the spice and sauté onions to cook for five minutes.
  4. Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue frying until fragrant.
  5. Next, add Ingredients C and chopped tomato to the beef.
  6. Adding water or beef broth to stew the beef until tender.
  7. Once the beef cubes have become tender, add the yogurt and cook for five minutes.
  8. Finally, transfer the beef masala to a serving dish.
  9. Garnish with coriander leaves to serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 622Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 1133mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 47g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 20/06/2023

Easy beef masala- best Indian curry recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cut of beef for Indian curry? ›

Chuck Steak

Chuck is juicy, flavourful, and versatile with the fatty juices providing a rich, delicious curry. Plus, the chuck steak is easy to cut into small pieces, so it cooks quickly and evenly.

How to use beef masala powder? ›

COOKING METHOD
  1. Clean and cut meat into pieces.
  2. Marinate the meat with ginger garlic paste, salt and Melam Meat masala powder.
  3. Heat oil and fry onions and green chill. ...
  4. Add marinated meat, tomatoes, curry leaves, salt and enough water.
  5. Cover and cook till the meat becomes tender and gravy becomes thick.

What does beef masala contain? ›

Beef masala is a blend of spices commonly used in Kenyan, Indian and Pakistani cuisine to flavor beef dishes. The specific combination of spices in beef masala can vary, but it typically includes cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper, among others.

What is the difference between garam masala and meat masala? ›

Meat masala has different ingredients than garam masala. Garam masala only includes powders of cumin, big and small cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper. However, meat masala also contains different ingredients, such as coriander, red chilli, garlic, dried ginger, mace and asafoetida.

Do you cook meat before adding to curry? ›

The curry-making process begins by chopping the vegetables and meat, followed by sautéing them in oil and butter. The meat will brown and the onions will soften. As soon as this occurs, add water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about twenty minutes, or longer if more tender meat is desired.

Why is my beef tough in curry? ›

First off, cooking meat causes it to lose moisture and the tissues shrink, making it tougher. Braising (cooking meat in a liquid) allows the meat to reabsorb moisture and breaks down the tough tissues. This lead to a more tender piece of meat.

Can I use meat masala instead of garam masala? ›

What can I use instead of Garam masala? Kitchen King Masala, Meat masala, and Biryani masala are the closest substitutes to Garam masala. Even though the tastes are distinct, they all work well in most recipes. Other spice combinations, such as sambar masala and pav bhaji masala, may be used in some dishes.

Is meat masala the same as curry powder? ›

Ultimately both curry powder and masala are blended spice mixes that can be added to food to pack a spicy and aromatic kick. In the end, the difference boils down to the different mix of spices, masala being more of a warming aromatic blend and curry powder being more of an earthy blend.

When should masala be added? ›

Add the garam masala in the end when it comes to putting your spice mix in your food preparation. You can, of course, experiment with the recipe and try adding it at other stages. Tweak your recipe as you deem fit while making it with this spice mix.

What is the best beef for curry? ›

Chuck beef is ideal to make a curry. It's lean but all the collagen and connective tissue in this cut will make the meat tender when braised for a length of time. But if you want to make a quick curry, then I recommend using a cut of beef with some nicely marbled fat going through the meat, like sirloin.

How to make beef soft in beef curry? ›

The secret to this dish is slow cooking for that tear-apart tender texture. Uncover and cook for a further 1 hour 30 minutes over a low- medium heat. By now the beef will yield under a little pressure (see tip). Scatter with coriander, squeeze over lime juice and serve with chapatis, if you like.

Which masala is best for meat? ›

MEAT MUTTON MIXED MASALA-PROPRIETARY FOOD
  • Cumin.
  • Cardamom seeds.
  • Clove.
  • Cinnamon.
  • Ginger.
  • Mace.
  • Nutmeg.
  • Turmeric.

Should I use garam masala or curry? ›

Cooking with Curry Powder: Curry Powder enters the early stages of cooking, infusing dishes with its mild and comforting notes. In contrast, Garam Masala steps onto the scene towards the end, adding not just flavor but an aromatic crescendo that tantalizes the senses.

Which is better curry powder or garam masala? ›

Garam masala tends to have a stronger, sharper and more complex flavor based on the types of spices that are traditionally part of this blend. Curry powder is traditionally made with more mild spices. Garam masala generally does not include turmeric but turmeric tends to be a primary ingredient in curry powder.

Is tikka masala same as masala? ›

Tikka Masala Definition: - Masala is a blend of herbs and spices. Tikka masala is pieces of meat or chicken marinated with spices, whereas garam masala is the term used for 'hot spices' that are not spicy but can keep the body warm.

Which part of beef is best for beef curry? ›

Beef stew meat: Stew meat, often a mix of cuts like chuck and round, provides tenderness and a wonderful ability to absorb flavors, making it an excellent choice for curry. Short ribs: For a luxurious touch, short ribs add both succulence and a deep, meaty essence to your curry.

What beef is best for beef curry? ›

These include chuck, skirt, leg and flank. It's also sometimes labelled as Stewing Steak. Any of these cuts that need to be cooked slowly are fine for this recipe. Any curry paste you like to your taste will work here.

Which cut of beef for beef curry? ›

Chuck beef is ideal to make a curry. It's lean but all the collagen and connective tissue in this cut will make the meat tender when braised for a length of time. But if you want to make a quick curry, then I recommend using a cut of beef with some nicely marbled fat going through the meat, like sirloin.

Which part of beef to use for curry? ›

Chuck steak is perfect for your every curry need. It is a well-used cut that comes from the shoulder of the animal and, while lean, it has a high content of collagen, a good amount of marbling and low external fat.

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