Beef curry (2024)

FAQs

How to make beef more tender in curry? ›

Cooking tough chewy meat fast at a high temp gives you tough chewy meat. That might not be bad in very thin slices or small pieces. To tenderize tough meat cook it ta a slow simmer to melt the connective tissue without driving off all the moisture.

Whether hosting a holiday cookout, serving up some stir-fry or tackling game meats, baking soda is the go-to meat tenderizer to help make your steak, chicken or turkey silkier, juicier and yummier.

There are a few methods, but this is the easiest way: Sprinkle 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) on 250g / 8oz sliced economical beef cuts. Toss with fingers, leave for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat off excess water.

In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.

Gristle in meat is typically Elastin - it's always going to be rubbery and chewy no matter how you cook it. Elastin is mostly found in silverskin and ligaments. When it comes to preparing meat for a curry, the best thing you or your butcher can do is to remove as much of the Elastin as possible before cooking.

Let it cook for as long as possible. Simmering a curry allows time for the flavours to infuse; a long, slow simmering time generally produces the best curry. Flavours will continue to infuse even when the curry is taken off the heat, so do allow time for the curry to “rest” and cool down before serving.

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

What is the secret ingredient in curry? ›

Whether you may be familiar with the differences between curries from various countries, such as Indian versus Japanese curry, and perhaps even know how to make them at home, there's a special flavor enhancer that you may not have thought to add: honey.

You can give a curry depth by adding umami goodness. Umami is one of the basic five tastes and is often described as a meaty, savoury deliciousness that deepens a dish's flavour. Natural foods that peak umami taste receptors include tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and roasted spice.

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

You could also reach for some tenderizing agents, like Papin or pineapple juice. Both of those contain enzymes that denature proteins, meaning it breaks them down, tenderizing the meat.