Pepper Beef

Pepper Beef
Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 kg boneless beef cut into thin slices, about 1″
• 4 cloves
• 1″ stick of cinnamon or cassia bark
• 4 medium sized onions, cubed
• 2-3 small green chillies, slit (adjust to taste)
• 1 pod garlic (about 10-11 medium sized cloves)
• 2″ piece of ginger
• 1-2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• chopped coriander (or spring onion greens) to garnish
• oil

For the marinade:

• 3 tablespoons whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• juice of 1 lime
• salt to taste

Method:
1. Dry roast the peppercorns and the cumin one by one on a hot skillet/tawa. Remove, cool completely and then powder. Remove and keep aside. To the same grinding jar, add the ginger and garlic together till fine.
2. Wash and drain the meat well in a colander. Transfer to a bowl and add the pepper and cumin mixture, turmeric, salt & lime juice and marinate the meat well with it. Keep aside for at least 30 mins.
3. After 30 minutes, transfer the marinated meat to a pressure cooker, sprinkle some water (less than 1/2 cup) add the clove and cinnamon and cook on full heat till 1 whistle goes off. Reduce the heat to a sim and continue to cook for another 10-12 minutes (cooking time depends on the quality/tenderness of the meat so please use your judgement here). Remove the cooker from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature or till the whistle (weight) comes off easily. Stir to mix and keep aside.
4. In a heavy, wide based wok/kadai heat the oil and fry the cooked meat in batches – do not overcrowd the pan or else the meat will steam-cook instead of frying. When lightly golden on both sides remove the meat and keep aside.
5. Add some more oil to the pan and fry the green chillies and onions till translucent (pale) and remove onto a plate.
6. Heat some more oil and fry the ginger & garlic paste on a medium low heat till the raw smell goes away. Add the fried meat and mix well. Add the soy sauce and the vinegar too
7. Now, depending on how much stock (cooking liquor) you have in the pressure cooker you will continute to cook the meat – add it little by little and fry everything until the liquid evaporates. If you require gravy then retain some towards the end. Taste and adjust seasoning (soy sauce, vinegar, salt & pepper) accordingly if required.
8. Add the fried onions & green chillies back to the meat and give it a quick mix and cook on a high heat for 20-30 seconds.
9. Garnish with chopped coriander or spring onion greens, remove the pan from heat and serve hot with fried rice or plain rice.

Recipe adapted from ‘Randhpa Kudaanth’ by Grace D’Cruz