Recipe by Macknade
For this recipe for slow beef curry with pickled rhubarb we used the LMC (or leg of mutton cut), which is a flavoursome cut of beef that needs a slow cook to elicit the full flavour and tenderise the meat. It works beautifully in a curry: warm, enticing spices and served with something sharp to cut through the richness. We’ve offset it here with quick-pickled, forced rhubarb which also adds an injection of colour . If you happen to have leftovers it gets better over a couple of days, piled high with fresh herbs, seeds, yoghurts and pickles. Another good alternative to the LMC is blade steak, or for something less lean, you could always make it with chuck.
SLOW BEEF CURRY WITH PICKLED RHUBARB
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the marinated meat
- 750g leg of mutton cut
- 4 tbsps yoghurt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 crushed green cardamom pods
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
For the curry
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 red chillies
- 200-300ml of good meat stock
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsps dessicated coconut
For the pickle
- 400g rhubarb
- 200ml white wine vinegar
- 100g caster sugar
- a few slices of ginger
- 2 tsps yellow mustard seeds
- 2 bay leaves
METHOD
- Marinate the meat overnight with all marinade ingredients – this helps to tenderise the meat.
- Sauté the onion with the bay leaf, until golden.
- Add the chilli and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the meat and sauté uncovered until it has taken an even colour.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes more.
- Add stock and garam masala, cover and cook for 1hr 15 minutes on a low simmer.
- Uncover and add the coconut, thencontinue to cook with the lid off on a low simmer until it has reduced to the desired thicker consistency.
- While the curry is cooking, slice your rhubarb finely and add to any sterilised jar.
- Heat all other ingredients for the pickle together until they begin to simmer.
- Remove the pickling liquor from the heat and allow to cool before pouring over the top of the rhubarb and securely fastening the lid of the jar.
- Serve when ready – it gets better with time!