My slow cooker books are sadly lacking in these.... we like a hot curry and I do have most spices like tumeric, cummin, coriander, cardamon pods (by the way, you do extract the seeds from these, not pop whole pod in?) but not fancier ones like anise flower etc. I am very grateful to anyone who would take the time to post one or send me to a goodie (they have tested and tried) online. Many thanks.
davidt4,
Jul 15, 11:03pm
This is our favourite beef curry, which adapts well to a slow cooker:
Sri Lankan Beef Curry
2 tabs coconut oil 5 dried red chilis; 4 cardamom pods bruised; sprig of fresh curry leaves; 1 onion finely chopped; 2-3 cloves garlic fine chopped; thumb of fresh ginger finely chopped; 1 heaped tab Sri Lankancurry powder (recipe below) 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional); 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1.2kg stewingbeef; 100ml water; 250ml coconut milk; 1 small stem lemongrass bruised; 4 -5 pandanus leaves (if available) 1 tab tamarind pulp; salt to taste.
Heat the oil and fry 3 of the chilis, the curry leaf & cardamom pods for a minute or so, add the onion & cook till golden. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder and spices, stir fry 1 minute. Add the beef & water, mix well and cook on high for 10 mins, scraping the bottom of the pan regularly. Transfer to slow cooker and cook on medium for 8 hours (or on high for 5 hours). Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, pandanus and tamarind. Mix well, cover and simmer another hour or until beef is done. Season with salt to taste. Fry the remaining 2 dried chilis and some more curry leaves and arrange over the top.
Over a low heat, in a dry pan, stir fry separately the coriander, cumin, fenugreek & fennel seeds. Do not burn!! Set aside until totally cold, then grind all ingredients to a fine powder
andrea09,
Jul 16, 3:30am
Check out this brand. Countdown sell it and some pak n saves/new worlds. really easy and lots of flavor.
David, your one looks particularly delicious. I guess I will have to go to an Asian food store to buy both fresh and dried curry leaves? I am naive about the cardamon pods an Indian friend sent me, although I have cardamon powder - do I crush them and extract all the little black seeds, or soak them first to soften as they are very hard? I'm going to give the recipe a try. Norwestie and andrea09, thank you both. I have actually seen the Slow Cooker packets but I prefer to do from scratch and be creative - I'm an artist, does that explain? lol
davidt4,
Jul 16, 5:20am
I'm glad you like the recipe zuggle.The cardamom seeds should be taken out of the pods.You can do this easily if you lightly crush each pod with the side of a knife or cleaver, just enough to crack the white husk.Break each pod open with your fingers and remove the black seeds.You don't need to soak them as the husk isfibrous rather than hard.
I've used cardamom powder occasionally, but find that it doesn't retain much flavour.
Most Asian food markets and greengrocers will have fresh curry leaves.We have a small tree in a pot and it provides more than enough for our needs.I imagine it would grow quite well down your way too as it doesn't seem to mind a degree of cold.
andrea09,
Jul 16, 6:47am
haha sure does ;)I like quick & easy most of the time but do LOVE getting creative also. I always add other stuff in just use the packets as a base for extra flavour :)
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