Stir fried spicy beef: A versatile dish for special days and meals

'Erachi unakkamulagu chathachittathu' aka stir-fried spicy beef is one of the many Kerala non-vegetarian preparations that are absolutely versatile. Be it as a starter, curry, side dish or even as a snack, they will rock the part and tempt food lovers to grab them again and again. The dish is a favourite in many Kerala households on Sunday mornings and they often feature on our Christmas menus as well. Here's how to prepare it:

Ingredients
500 gms beef cubes
20 gms onion slices
10 gms ginger garlic paste
5 gms chilly powder
3 gms turmeric powder
Salt to taste
10 gms garam masala
100 ml coconut oil
20 gms crushed garlic
20 gms crushed whole shallots
20 gms crushed whole red chilly
2 gms curry leaves
5 green chillies
5 gms black pepper powder
2 gms mustard seeds
6 gms fennel powder

Preparation
Boil the beef cubes with salt, onion slices, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and coriander powder
until they become tender
Heat coconut oil in a pan, temper the mustard seeds and add the crushed shallots, garlic and red chillies
Sauté it until it turns transparent
Add the prepared boiled beef cubes, fennel powder, black pepper powder and garam masala
Cook for 20 minutes in slow heat until the beef gets dry and black in colour
Garnish with curry leaves and green chillies