Puttu + Varutharacha Beef Curry ( Curried Beef In Roasted Coconut Sauce)

Would you say no , if you are given warmth and comfort together on a platter, especially on snowy wintry gloomy days. I wouldn't , instead grab it and gobble up ....That's exactly what I am virtually offering you today.

Steamed Rice and coconut cakes with spicy curried beef in roasted coconut and spice sauce. Yumm..yumm..yummm

The weather has been crazy in north east , this time with snow and ice every where. But to tell you , I am really enjoying it with enticing books, bowl of soups , and hot and spicy food :)..I have been making a lot of soups and stews and pastas lately and thats when i missed the smell and flavor of home. 

A small chayakada( Tea shop) near a border village in northern part of Kerala introduced me to this terrific combo . I was like 10 or 11 at that time , I could still get the flavors in my tongue. Though Kanji was our choice of breakfast always except on Sundays  , Mom used to make other palaharams once in a while . Puttu topped the list as it is the easiest amongst...Varutharacha kadala curry, Egg curry , egg roast , chicken curry etc etc were the usual combo and I loved those till I got to get the taste of this awesome curry...

Recipe for Varuthu Aracha Beef curry - Beef curry with Roasted coconut 

Ingredients:-

To cook beef

Beef  - 1 kg

Garlic - 3-4 cloves

Ginger - a small piece

Green chili - 1 (optional)

Black pepper corns - 1/2 tea spoon

Red chili powder - 1.5 tea spoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoon

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Cloves - 4

Cardamom - 2

Bay leaves - 1  Or instead of whole masala you can add 1/2 or 1 tea spoon of garam masala.

Salt to taste

Curry leaves

To Roast and Grind

Grated coconut - 3 table spoon

Dried red chilly - 8-10            or chilly powder 1 table spoon

Coriander seeds - 1/ 4cup ( 4 table spoon)   or  coriander powder - 2.5 table spoon

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tea spoon

Small onion chopped - 1 table spoon

Curry leaves - 6-7 leaves

To simmer 

Onion chopped - 1

Garlic chopped - 2 cloves

Ginger chopped - 1 tea spoon

Tomato chopped - 1

Curry leaves

Water  - 1 cup or 1/2 cup thin coconut milk + 1/2 cup water

Method:-

Clean and cut the beef into small cubes. Grind ginger , garlic, green chili, black peppercorns,red chili and turmeric powder, cloves and cardamom to a coarse paste

Marinate the beef  with the spice paste , cinnamon, bay leaves, salt to taste and curry leaves. 

keep it for 30 minutes.

Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles, without or with adding 1/4 cup water.

If you don't have a pressure cooker you can cook it in a heavy bottomed pan by adding 1/2 cup water for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile take a pan and add grated coconut and fry without adding oil.

When it starts to change color add all other ingredients in the to roast and grind section and fry till it is brown. Be sure not to burn it.

Grind it to a coarse paste by adding very little water.

Heat oil in a kadai and add chopped onions , garlic and ginger and saute for 6-7 minutes. 

Add curry leaves and fry for another 2-3 minutes. 

Add cooked beef and tomato and all the cooking liquid and  1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup  thin coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes for all the spice to blend well and the tomato to cook

Add the spice paste , combine well and simmer for another couple of minutes and remove.

Add more water and make it thin if you want more gravy.

Recipe for Puttu

Rice flour - 2 cup( I used Nirapara Puncha puttu podi)
Grated coconut - 1/2 - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tea spoon
Water - as needed


Special equipment :- Puttu kutti...I normally use the chiratta puttu kutti which you can attach to a pressure cooker.

In a bowl Mix the rice flour with salt and oil
Add water little by little to it and mix well with hands.
The idea is to wet the whole rice flour and definitely there is gonna be small lumps.
Gather the wet rice flour to the side of the the bowl ( kootti vekkuka)
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Transfer the mix to a food processor or mixer and use the pulse action for 2-3 pulse.
This will help the puttu to get soft and all the lumps will be gone.
Take the puttu kutti, make a thin layer of grated coconut , then add rice flour mix and continue the layers.
Attach to the pressure cooker and steam it for 7-8 minutes.
Serve warm

Related posts:-

• Nadan beef Ularthiyathu
• Beef and potato curry
• Nadan Kadala curry
• kerala chicken curry
• Kerala egg curry

Cheers

Sarah