Beef vindaloo from Chishti’s
I fell in love with a tiny Indian restaurant in Melbourne’s inner suburb of Fitzroy, and was particularly enchanted with the chef’s version of beef vindaloo. I adhered to my principle of asking for special recipes. Harjinder Singh Bhogal, who was in the midst of writing his own cook book, was happy to oblige.
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard oil
pinch of salt
10 curry leaves
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
ΒΌ teaspoon turmeric
2 cups plain yoghurt
500g beef from the rump, chopped into walnut-sized chunks
2 tablespoons fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
3 green chillies
2 tablespoons ghee or oil 2 onions 3 tomatoes
1 teaspoon cloves pinch of turmeric
2 or 3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala — Harjinder’s spice mix comprises bay leaves, coriander seeds, black pepper, cloves, green cardamom pods, brown cardamom pods, cumin and cinnamon, whizzed to a chunky powder.
1 teaspoon fresh coriander
1
Make a separate mixture of vinegar, mustard oil, salt, curry leaves, cumin seeds, ground coriander, red chilli powder, turmeric and yoghurt. Marinate the beef in the yoghurt-based mixture for at least 12 hours, turning it occasionally.
2
Grind a mixture of fresh ginger, garlic and green chillies.
3
Heat ghee or oil in a saucepan. (Many Indians prefer ghee, but oil is also excellent for curries.) Brown the onions. This will take about 20 minutes. Be watchful.
4
Add crushed and peeled tomatoes, ginger mixture, another pinch of turmeric, cloves, mustard seeds, bay leaves and garam masala. (Home-made garam masala makes a big difference to the taste; however, there are many commercial varieties available.)
5
Cook until mixture forms a rich sauce. Add marinated beef and cook on a medium heat for 45 minutes or until tender. Serve garnished with fresh coriander.