Tender chunks of beef braised slowly in a rich, deeply spiced sauce of onions, garlic, ginger, and chili until falling apart. This robust curry is one of Myanmar's most satisfying meat dishes.
Ingredients
800g beef chuck, cubed
4 large onions, pureed
5 cloves garlic, minced
3cm ginger, grated
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons fish sauce
100ml vegetable oil
2 dried bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
Fresh cilantro
Instructions
1Season beef cubes with turmeric, salt, and fish sauce, letting them marinate while you prepare the aromatics.
2Heat oil in a heavy pot and cook the onion puree over medium heat for twenty minutes until deeply caramelized and the oil separates.
3Add garlic, ginger, chili powder, bay leaves, cinnamon, and star anise, frying until the kitchen fills with aroma.
4Add the marinated beef and stir to coat every piece in the spice paste, searing until browned on all sides.
5Add just enough water to barely cover the meat, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on very low heat for ninety minutes, checking occasionally.
6The curry is ready when the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy coating around the meat. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.
Did You Know?
Burmese beef curries are typically cooked until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, leaving the meat glazed in a concentrated spice paste that intensifies the flavor far beyond typical curries.