Authentic Slow-Cooked Beef Bhuna Curry
A rich, deeply flavored Indian curry featuring tender chunks of beef slow-cooked in a thick, aromatic sauce. This traditional bhuna is packed with fragrant whole spices and finished with fresh ginger for a truly warming meal.
Servings6 Portions
Prep Time30 Mins
Cook Time90 Mins
Difficulty
Intermediate
Ingredients
6
- braising or stewing beef cut into bite-sized pieces1 kg
- medium onions sliced3
- tomatoes, quartered2
- vegetable oil100 ml
- cardamom pods4
- bay leaves4
- cinnamon sticks3
- pinch of fenugreek seeds1 pinch
- grated ginger plus a few thin slices to serve1.5 tsp
- crushed garlic1.5 tsp
- hot curry powder2 tsp
- garam masala1 tsp
- ground coriander1 tsp
- ground cumin1 tsp
- Kashmiri chilli powder1 tsp
- chilli powder1 tsp
- turmeric1 tsp
- fresh coriander leaves to serve1 handful
Step-by-Step Instructions
01
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the cardamom pods, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and a pinch of fenugreek seeds. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the spices become fragrant and release their aromas.
02
Add the sliced onions to the pan. Increase the heat to high and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply browned and caramelized.
03
Stir in the beef pieces along with the grated ginger and crushed garlic. Fry for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is well-browned on all sides.
04
Add 1.5 teaspoons of salt followed by the hot curry powder, garam masala, ground coriander, ground cumin, Kashmiri chilli powder, chilli powder, and turmeric. Mix thoroughly to coat the beef, then add the quartered tomatoes. Cover and cook over low-medium heat for 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften.
05
