Madras Beef Curry

This is the second recipe I have made from Best-Ever: 500 Simply Delicious Recipes cookbook by Bay Books. It was a very simple recipe. I have since learned it is more traditionally a vegetarian dish. The plan is to sometime make that version. I have made this twice with beef and once with chicken.

Madras Beef Curry in pan

With the name and some research I found out it was based on various Indian dishes using the Madras curry paste. In India the vegetarian version is more common. Outside India the meat version is more common. The name was invented by British restaurants making Indian cuisine.

The first trick was to find Madras curry paste. I found some without additives at a Korean/Asian market in Tigard, Oregon called H-Mart. It is beef stock/ broth, tomato paste, onion, and meat. I substituted chicken broth/stock for beef when making the chicken version. It has a good low medium heat to it. I have served it with both basmati and jasmine rice.

Madras Beef Curry on the plate with Basmati Rice

August 11, 2015, I made Madras Beef Curry for the first time. I was surprised that it was so good. The acidic flavor of the tomatoes contrasted nicely with the richness of the beef. The curry paste with its complexity gave the dish a depth. At the end of August, I had to make something with some chicken and I thought these flavors would go well with chicken. I was correct. I made this again in October. This is definitely in my menu rotation.