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Pressure-cooker lamb or beef curry

Pressure-cooker lamb or beef curry
Photo: Satwik Cuttack, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Beef or lamb (curry cut)520 g
  • Potatoes240 g (~1½ medium)
  • Brown onions240 g (~1½ medium)
  • Tomatoes120 g (~1 medium)
  • Ginger20 g
  • Garlic8 cloves
  • Kashmiri chilli powder3 tsp
  • Coriander powder1½ tbsp
  • Meat / chicken masala1 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder¼ tsp
  • Coconut milk160 ml
  • Curry leaves1 sprigs
  • Coconut oil1½ tbsp
  • Salt1¼ tsp

You need

  • Pressure cooker (3–5 L)
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method

  1. Ahead (the night before): move the meat from the freezer to the fridge to thaw.
  2. On the raw-meat board, cut 520 g meat into 3 cm cubes. Peel 240 g (~1½ medium) potato and cut into 4 cm chunks. Slice 240 g (~1½ medium) onion, chop 120 g (~1 medium) tomato, and finely chop 20 g ginger and 8 cloves garlic.
  3. Heat 1½ tbsp coconut oil in the open pressure cooker on medium. Add the onion and cook 8 minutes until golden brown.
  4. Add the ginger and garlic and stir 1 minute. Add the tomato and cook 3 minutes until soft.
  5. Turn to low. Add ¼ tsp turmeric, 3 tsp chilli powder, 1½ tbsp coriander powder and 1 tbsp meat masala. Stir 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. Add the meat and 1¼ tsp salt. Turn to medium-high and stir 3 minutes until the meat is browned on the outside.
  7. Add the potato and 400 ml (about 1½ cups) water. Close the lid. Cook on medium-high until the first whistle, then medium for 4 more. Turn off and let the pressure drop by itself (about 15 minutes).
  8. Open and check the meat is tender. If the gravy is thin, simmer uncovered on medium for 5 minutes.
  9. Stir in 160 ml coconut milk and 1 sprigs curry leaves. Simmer on low for 3 minutes. Do not boil hard.

Tips

  • For a toddler, mash a piece of potato and a little meat with extra coconut milk.
  • Freezes well for 3 months. Cool within an hour before freezing, and reheat until steaming hot.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 3 days in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot.

Good to know

  • Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.