This is the very first time that I’m gonna share beef recipe on my blog. Never ever cooked before even. Most Sri Lankan’s don’t eat beef, because they think it as a sin. But I’m not belong that category. I had beef until I was around 7 or 8. Then one day when my grandma was cooking her famous beef stew and that smell makes me sick. Since that day I never had beef in my life. Even Amma doesn’t cooked beef much more in our kitchen. It’s because only Thaththa is the one who consume beef in our home. So back in days beef cooked in our home only when Thaththa was in SL. It’s also happened very rarely. So there wasn’t much place for beef in our home. Not even beef, other meats also. We grew up eating more seafood than meat. As everyone of our family was engaged in fishery industry. But the man I married is ready to eat any type of meat all the time. If there’s meet he is happy more than anything. He was asking me to cook beef in past weeks. I kept him waiting. Because my pregnancy mood isn’t good to cook it. And as how my sister was hosting a little birthday party for her husband, I thought to make my grandma’s beef stew for them. Then my man also having an accompany to enjoy his meal. 

I had mentioned in my many posts ,how talented my mother and her mother when in cooking. People around us, past days called my grandma to cook in their places for any special occasions. Her foods are the most delicious foods for me. When I told my mom that I wanna cook beef for him, then she shared her mother’s recipe with me. Though I don’t eat, I know this gonna be a bomb. And at last she mentioned that “you need to add deep fried potatoes to complete grandma’s beef stew recipe” so here I’m her grand daughter…. 

1.it was 1200g beef. Cut into thin slices. Marinate overnight if possible or at least two hours with 1tsp turmeric powder, 1,1/2tbs vinegar, 5tsp freshly cracked black pepper and salt on your taste. Cover with a cling wrap and leave it to marinate. 

2.place the marinated beef in a large pot along with 20-30ml water, crushed 3-4 garlic cloves and 1 inch size ginger, 2 small pieces of cinnamon, 3-4 cardamom pods and fire on. 

3.Mix occasionally and cook in medium low heat around 35-40 minutes without covering. After pass around 30 minutes you’ll see water has started to simmer.

4.meantime grind 2tsp mustard seeds with few drops of water and mix it with around 180-200ml thick coconut milk. Add it to the beef and bring it to boil and simmer few more minutes and fire off. 

5.transfer the cooked beef into a clean bowl and heat the same pot with 2-3tbs oil. 

6.once the oil is well heated add sliced 3 capsicums, 1 large onion cut into rings, few curry leaves, a piece of pandan leaf and 1tsp dried chilli flakes. Fry all about 30-40 seconds and add the beef. Fire off. 

7.meantime peel, wash and cut 2 medium size potatoes into thick slices/wedges and deep fry until brown. 

8.add the deep fried potatoes to the beef stew and mix well.