Sri Lankan Beef Curry and Hoppers
Sri Lankan Beef Curry is one of the most delicious curries I’ve eaten. Chunks of beef are slow-cooked until they’re really tender in a flavorful coconut sauce. It smells great and is even better to eat! Serve it traditionally with Hoppers and carrots with a tropical flavors.
Ingredients
Sri Lankan Hoppers makes about 14
- 1½ cups raw rice
- 1 teaspoons yeast instant
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ cup water room temperature
- 2 tablespoons white rice cooked
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup coconut milk thick, the top of an can when it's not shaken
Carrots with tropical flavors
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 red chili pepper deseeded, chopped finely
- ½ shallot shallots chopped finely
- 1 pound carrots coarsly grated
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar I used lime juice instead
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cups coconut milk
- ¼ cup water
Sri Lankan Beef curry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 10 curry leaves fresh, dried or frozen
- 1 red chili pepper deseeded, chopped finely
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound Braising steak cut into 1 inch (2 cm) cubes
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- ¼ cup water hot
- 3 cups water
Dry spice mixture
- 1 tablespoon white rice uncooked
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon piece
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
Appams
- Soak the raw rice in 4 to 5 cups of water for 3 hours. You can soak it overnight, although I did not try that.1½ cups raw rice
- Dissolve the sugar in the 120 mL coconut water or plain water and add the yeast.1 teaspoons yeast, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ cup water
- Set aside in a warm area for 10-15 minutes, until very frothy.
- Drain the rice and grind it in a blender with the yeast mixture to make a smooth batter. You can add a bit of extra water if needed, but I didn't.
- Add the cooked rice, and grind/blend to combine well. You can see that it isn't completely smooth, but very thick—that’s about right.2 tablespoons white rice
- Pour into a large bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for 8-12 hours.
- When it's ready, it will have a slightly sour and distinctly yeasty smell. Don’t worry--they are mild tasting when cooked!
- Add the coconut milk and salt, and a bit of water if necessary, so that you have a batter that is just a bit thicker than milk. Notice how it bubbles after you add the coconut milk. I recommend test-cooking one before thinning the batter.½ cup coconut milk, ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat your pan over medium heat. Wipe a few drops of oil over it using a paper towel. Stir the batter and pour in 3-4 tablespoons, depending on the size of the pan.
- Working quickly, hold the handle(s) and give the pan a quick swirl so that the batter comes to the top edge. Swirl once only, as you want the edges to be thin and lacy.
- Cover the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Uncover and check. The center should have puffed up a bit, but is dry to the touch.
- When ready, loosen the edges with a small spatula and serve immediately. These need to be served hot out of the pan.
- Repeat preparing Hoppers, until all the batter is used.
Carrots with tropical flavors
- Place a deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat.
- Add the oil, then add half of the curry leaves, red pepper, and the shallots.1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 8 curry leaves, 1 red chili pepper, ½ shallot shallots
- Cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Add the carrots, stir, and add the vinegar, salt, sugar, and mix well.2 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar, 1 pound carrots
- Increase the heat and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
- Add the water and half of the coconut milk and bring to a fast boil.½ cups coconut milk, ¼ cup water
- Stir, cover tightly, and cook until just tender, 5-10 minutes, depending on size. Mine took about 5 minutes.
- Check to ensure the liquid has not boiled away and add a little more water if it is almost dry.
- Add the remaining coconut milk and curry leaves.
- Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer to a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.
Sri Lankan Beef curry
- In a small heavy skillet, roast the dry spice mixture over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously, until it smells amazing! You will be able to see that the rice is a toasted color.1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 tablespoon white rice
- Transfer to a (small) kitchen machine and grind to a powder. Set aside.
- Chop the tamarind pulp and soak it in the hot water. Set aside1 tablespoon tamarind paste, ¼ cup water
- In a large, wide pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the curry leaves, red pepper, onion and turmeric and stir-fry for 3 minutes.10 curry leaves, 1 red chili pepper, 2 onions, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Add the coconut milk and dried spice mixture and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so all surfaces of the meat get browned.½ cup coconut milk
- Add the meat and salt and cook for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, so all flesh surfaces get browned.1 pound Braising steak, 1 teaspoon salt
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Press the soaked tamarind through a sieve placed over a bowl. Use a spoon to press all the liquid and pulp out. Discard the seeds and stringy bits.
- Add the tamarind liquid and water to the pot and bring to the boil.3 cups water
- Reduce the heat and cook uncovered at a strong simmer for two hours, until the meat is tender and the flavors are well blended.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot.
Nutrition
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