# Beef Madras

A traditional Chennai-style Beef Madras curry that emphasizes authentic flavors, using tamarind for sourness and pepper and red chilies for heat, simmered for hours to tenderize the beef.

- Total time: 120 min
- Cuisine: Indian
- Category: Dinner
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- sesame oil
- mustard seeds
- urad dal
- curry leaves
- dried red chillies
- onions
- 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
- spices
- beef
- fresh fenugreek
- tamarind
- water
- 2 spoons coconut
- coriander

## Instructions

1. Add sesame oil to a pan.
2. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to pop.
3. Add urad dal and toast until light golden.
4. Add curry leaves and dried red chillies (adjust quantity for desired heat).
5. Add onions and cook them until soft, sweet, and golden, not browned.
6. Stir in a good tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste and cook until the raw smell is gone.
7. Add the spices and cook them through, toasting them well in the oil.
8. Add the beef and cook it properly, allowing it to take on all the spice.
9. Add fresh fenugreek for an extra layer of flavor.
10. Add tamarind, which provides a deep, sour warmth.
11. Add water, put the lid on, and let it simmer gently for a couple of hours until the beef is soft.
12. Once the beef is soft, add one or two spoons of coconut (not cream) to round the edges.
13. Garnish with coriander on top.
14. Serve with rice, roti, or any accompaniment.

## Equipment

- pressure cooker
- lid

## Tips

- Use sesame oil for a sharper, darker, and warmer Madras flavor.
- Toast mustard seeds until they pop, then toast urad dal until light golden.
- Do not brown onions; keep them soft, sweet, and golden.
- Cook ginger and garlic paste until the raw smell disappears.
- Cook spices through for as long as possible to really toast them in the oil.
- Use fresh fenugreek instead of ground fenugreek to avoid bitterness.
- Tamarind is key for the deep, sour warmth; avoid vinegar or loads of tomatoes.
- This curry is not quick; simmer gently for a couple of hours or use a pressure cooker.
- Add a spoon or two of coconut (not cream) to round the edges once the beef is soft.
- Serve with rice, roti, or whatever you have.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTvURoTDJ7o/?igsh=Z2d2N3N5cThoamRy
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/6980ea53-a7ee-4bce-a8f4-468da3a08ece
- Extracted: 2026-01-21

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt