Beef in Ginger Flower Curry

Ginger Flower Beef Curry

I have a certain fascination for the ginger flower. It smells lovely and has a special taste that I like very much. We usually use it in spicy fish curries back home which was what I bought them for in the first place, but I've decided to make a Ginger Flower Beef Curry since it's about time that I liquidate my frozen stock and liberate the freezer for ice cream instead. Besides, I'm still trying to grow the flower myself though without any success to date.

Ginger Flower

I kept the curry simple so that the delicate taste and aroma of the flower would come through. Cooked it for the MIL, SIL and the children the day we were invited to lunch at GA's and they seemed to appreciate it very much.

Ginger Flower Beef Curry :

600g Piemontese Beef (cubed)

1 Tbsp Curry powder for meat

4 Tbsp plain Yoghurt

1 Onion (chopped)

1 piece fresh Ginger (sliced)

2 Garlic cloves (chopped)

2 Tsp whole Cumin seeds

1 Tsp Mustard seeds

1 small piece Cinnamon bark

4-5 Green Cardamoms

A pinch of ground Cloves

1 Tsp ground Coriander seeds

1 Bay leaf (torn into 2-3 pieces)

1 Ginger flower (quartered)

1 fresh Red or green Chilli (sliced)

1-2 Tsp concentrated Tomato paste

Hot beef stock

2 Carrots (sliced)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Marinate the beef cubes with the curry powder for an hour and then coat them in the yoghurt for another hour.

Heat some oil in a pot and fry the onions, ginger and garlic till fragrant. Add the whole and ground spices.

Remove the beef from its marinade and add it to the spiced oil. Brown the meat, adding a bit more oil if necessary.

Add the ginger flower, bay leaf and chilli.

Stir in the tomato paste, coating the beef well in it. Pour in the remaining yoghurt marinade.

Pour in the hot beef stock. Bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat and let the curry simmer for 2-3 hours or till the meat is tender.

About 20-30 minutes before serving, add the carrots (if desired). Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.