Almost Baseless Beef Bhuna

[Bob-A-Job]

So, here are a few pictures of my Beef Bhuna that I made last night with Christmas leftovers.

I had about 100ml of leftover base "CA's Curry Base" and 400g of diced beef.

I slow cooked the beef for about 3hrs until tender in:
1/2 tsp of Ginger paste
1/2 tsp of Garlic puree
1/2 tsp of generic East End Curry powder
1/2 tsp of Hot Chilli powder
water (to cover)

I used 976bar's recipe for "mutton bhuna"mutton bhuna with some slight alterations becuase of the beef instead of mutton:

Serves 1-2
Ingredients:
300g Pre-cooked beef
30ml KTC Olive Pomace Oil Blend
1 Star Anise
5 Green cardamom pods, cracked
5 Cloves
5 Garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp Garlic puree
1 tsp Ginger puree
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
2 Green finger chilies, sliced (adjust to your own heat liking, I wanted a hot dish)
1 tsp Bassar curry masala
1 tsp Curry powder
2 tsp Coriander stalks
1 tsp Tomato puree
1/2 Red pepper chopped into 2-3cm squares
Approx. 100ml base sauce

Method:
Add the oil to the pan on a low heat and add the onion, star anise, cloves and cardamom pods and soften the onions until they are translucent and golden
Add the red pepper, chilis and garlic. (I removed the star anise, cloves and cardamom pods). Cook for about 2-3 minutes but do not let the garlic burn or it will give a bitter taste to the dish.
Add the Bassar curry masala, Curry powder, Coriander stalks and cook gently for about 20-30 seconds
Add the Tomato puree and stir in to form a masala.
Add a spoon of the base sauce and mix everything together. (At this stage turn the heat up to medium), let the oil separate from the base then add another spoon and do the same.
Add the Mutton and it's stock and mix in.
Add remainder of base sauce and continue cooking until the meat is warmed through.

[Peripatetic Phil]

The texture and finish look excellent to me, Bob

[Bob-A-Job]

First, let me make an apology, I am sorry that this is knowingly NOT a genuine BIR recipe.

I debated all night and morning about posting at all, since it uses Beef and whilst I have had hundreds if not thousands of curry described as 'Meat', I think that is so they don't have to say Mutton when the customer is expecting Lamb.  If the Admin agree that this thread is not in keeping with the intentions of these Forums, then I will hold no animosity for it being deleted.

That said, the texture of the meal that I was aiming for I managed, dry and full of different flavours.  It wasn't as hot as I would have preferred (hence why I left out the tomato and for colour substitued the green pepper for red, as well as a bit more sweetness than bitterness) and so if I make something similar, probably using Mutton, then I will more than likely leave the chilli's whole and just 'Spike' them on both sides, down their length, with a fork.

Given the amount of Garlic, I also expected that flavour to be very noticeable but instead it was quite subtle.  I ate it with a small naan bread which I think helped to not mask the taste as opposed to rice.  You need more 'sauce' to go with rice anyway.

I am not sure about the Star Anise, I would like to try again but with Fennel seeds. I would probably need to grind them up which could leave a lot more and possibly overpowering flavour in but since the meat and the base sauce will be different it is arguably a moot point.

Authenticity 1/10
Taste 6/10

[Les]

Don't fret about using Beef, It's used in Scotland all the time.

[Secret Santa]

Don't fret about using Beef, It's used in Scotland all the time.

I wonder if it started in Scotland, Les?

To this day I've never seen beef on a BIR menu in Englandshire. Although I'm out of touch as I rarely visit one now. Back in the early eighties when I had a few curries in Scotland, there weren't any in evidence then either. Admittedly I wasn't looking for them but I'm pretty sure a beef curry would have jumped off the page at me as being unusual in the same way as an elephant curry would have been.

Beef curries still evoke Sharwoods beef curry with crispy noodles to me. Mind, I used to like those in my youth and I still see them around occasionally but haven't had the desire to revisit that particular delicacy.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Fairly sure I have seen beef curries on English BIRs in the late 60's/early 70's, but not since then.  But far more recently I have been served beef (or horse, or something) when I ordered lamb, and this in a quite famous BIR in Hildenborough, Kent.

P.S.  How about a nice Vesta paella, Santa ?  Surely the very pinacle of fine dining at home ...

** Phil.

[Les]

P.S.  How about a nice Vesta paella, Santa ?  Surely the very pinacle of fine dining at home ...

** Phil.

Actually Phil, I used to like the Vesta paella and there Beef Risotto, Sad I know ;D

You got me there SS, don't have a clue about Beef curry in Scotland, (left in 1959). But my brother who still lives up there likes his beef curry a lot,

[Secret Santa]

But far more recently I have been served beef (or horse, or something) when I ordered lamb, and this in a quite famous BIR in Hildenborough, Kent.

Ah, well that's a whole other story. I suppose it's akin to being served mutton dressed as lamb. I'd be quite happy with that particular subterfuge though.

P.S.  How about a nice Vesta paella, Santa ?  Surely the very pinacle of fine dining at home ...

D'oh! I meant Vesta. Just having a senior moment.

[Peripatetic Phil]

D'oh! I meant Vesta. Just having a senior moment.

A  well-known side effect of eating too many Vesta dishes in one's youth

[Secret Santa]

D'oh! I meant Vesta. Just having a senior moment.

A  well-known side effect of eating too many Vesta dishes in one's youth

And beef and tomato Pot Noodles ... when they actually had some flavour due to innumerable, now most likely banned, e-numbers. Not like the insipid dross that passes for one now.