Beef Vindaloo

Ingredients:

Meat and Masala sauce:

• 900 g of boneless beef tenderloin, cut into 2.5 cm cubes (trim excess fat)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 pieces of cinnamon bark (2.5 cm)
• 6 whole cloves
• 4 whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot!)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp. l. canola oil
• 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 serrano pepper, halved
• 1 heaping tbsp ginger-garlic paste (see recipe below) or 6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped and a 2.5cm/thumb-sized piece of peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger
• Salt and ground black pepper

Ginger Garlic Paste:

• 1/2 cup whole garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled and sliced ​​into 1 cm thick slices
• 1/4 tbsp. canola oil

Preparation:

1. For liquid Masala mixtureToast the cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, and black peppercorns in a small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
   
   Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a powder. In a small food processor or blender, combine the toasted spice mixture with the apple cider vinegar, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, and ginger-garlic paste until smooth.
2. Place a large saucepan (preferably nonstick) over high heat and add oil. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and serrano pepper. Stirring frequently, cook the onion until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn! If it starts to burn, reduce the heat to medium-high.
3. Add the liquid masala mixture. Be careful, as it will splatter and stain your glasses if you're wearing them. Stir vigorously and reduce the heat if the mixture boils too vigorously. Don't wash the food processor bowl yet. Continue blending in small increments until most of the liquid has evaporated and the masala has formed a cohesive mass, about 2 minutes. You may also see small flecks of oil around the edges of the mixture. This is a good sign!
4. Quickly add the meat and stir to coat with the spices. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the meat is browned.
   
   Remember that dirty food processor bowl? Pour 1 cup of hot water (tap water is fine), whisk to remove any remaining spices, and then pour it into the pan. Add salt and pepper, stir, bring the curry to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 30 minutes. Then cook, loosely covered, for another 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
5. At the end of cooking, check the meat; it should be tender and not at all rubbery. Add salt if desired and serve with rice or chapatis (fried whole-wheat flatbreads).
   
   Ginger Garlic Paste: Place the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a small food processor. Process until a semi-smooth paste forms. There should still be some tiny pieces, but overall it should resemble a paste.
   
   Store any unused pasta in a small glass jar. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir-fries, gravies, and more, and can also be used in slow cooker recipes. We always keep a jar of this pasta in the refrigerator.