Brown Meat (Spiced Meat Curry) Recipe
Beef is the most popular red meat in Bangladesh. Mutton is a distant second. But since I grew up in a Hindu household, mutton was the only red meat option.
Hindus are not allowed to have beef because of religious constraints. And as Bangladesh is a Muslim country, pork, which is Haram in Islam, is almost banned. So beef is the meat of choice for Bangladeshi people. Being an atheist, I enjoy beef as well.
And as a nation, we love our beef curries. Every household has their own way of making it special. All of these special recipes are just finger licking good.
Now what I find fascinating is how different regions in Bangladesh have their own signature beef recipes. I already mentioned households having different recipes, but regions have different cooking styles all together.
Take Khulna and Jessore for example. They use something called “chui jhaal” in their beef or mutton curry. Chui jhaal is this special root spice that adds an incredible kick to the curry. It is spicy, aromatic, and completely transforms the dish. If you have never tried beef with chui jhaal, you are missing out!
Then we have the Chittagong region with their famous kala bhuna. Now kala bhuna is not just another curry, it is a whole cooking technique. The meat is cooked in a specific way that gives the curry this beautiful dark color, almost black. That is where the name comes from – kala means black in Bangla. The slow cooking process makes the meat incredibly tender and the flavors.
But today’s recipe is not from any specific region. This brown meat curry or spiced meat curry is what I would call a general Bengali beef curry. You can make it with beef or mutton, whatever you prefer.
Now one thing about this recipe, it calls for grated coconut. And I have to be honest with you, I am not a fan of coconut in my spicy curries. I know some people love it, but personally I skip it. The coconut adds a subtle sweetness and richness to the curry. But I prefer my meat curry to be all about the spices and the meat itself.
Fair warning though, if you do use coconut, make sure to grind it into a smooth paste. You do not want chunks of coconut in your curry, trust me on that.
The best part about this brown meat curry is how versatile it is. You can serve it with plain rice for a simple meal, or pair it with polao for something more special. It even goes well with luchi, chapati, or paratha – which is my favorite way of having beef curry.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 80 g grated coconut
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- 4 lb 2 kg lean boneless meat (beef or mutton), cut into 5 cm (2-inch) cubes
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1½ tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground garlic
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon ground green chili adjust to taste
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
- Cooking oil e.g., vegetable or sunflower oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the meat into uniform 5 cm (2-inch) cubes. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a blender or mortar and pestle, grind the grated coconut into a smooth paste using a little water if needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat cubes with the ground coconut paste, chopped onion, ground ginger, ground garlic, cinnamon, green chili, chopped coriander leaves, and salt.
- Mix thoroughly to ensure all the pieces are well coated with the marinade.
- Cover and let it marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature (or refrigerate for up to 4 hours for deeper flavor).
- Heat the cooking oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the marinated meat mixture. Stir well to coat the meat in the oil.
- Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cook until the meat becomes tender. This may take 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of meat used.
- If the meat begins to dry out before it's tender, add hot water a little at a time and continue cooking.
- Once the meat is tender, continue cooking uncovered over very low heat for about 1 hour, or until the oil separates and rises to the top. This step enhances the flavor and texture of the curry.
- Serve the brown meat curry hot, accompanied by fluffy rice, pulao, luchi, chapati, or parata.
