Spicy Beef Curry Rice (Printable)
Tender beef in a fragrant spicy sauce served with fluffy steamed rice, perfect for hearty dining.
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1.3 lbs beef chuck, cut into ¾ inch cubes
→ Marinade & Spices
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
06 - 2 green chilies, finely chopped
07 - 2 tsp ground cumin
08 - 2 tsp ground coriander
09 - 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
10 - 1 ½ tsp chili powder
11 - 1 tsp garam masala
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
→ Sauce
14 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
15 - ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp beef broth
16 - ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp coconut milk
17 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
18 - 1 tsp sugar
→ Rice
19 - 1 ¼ cups basmati rice
20 - 2 cups water
21 - ½ tsp salt
→ Garnish
22 - Fresh cilantro leaves
# Steps:
01 - Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels and season thoroughly with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches on all sides. Remove and set aside.
03 - Add remaining oil to pot. Cook onions until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and chilies; sauté for 1 minute.
04 - Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala. Cook stirring continuously for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Incorporate tomato paste, canned tomatoes, sugar, and beef broth. Stir well, deglazing pot by scraping the browned bits.
06 - Return beef to pot. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook gently on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
07 - Stir in coconut milk and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce thickens and beef is tender.
08 - Rinse basmati rice under cold water until clear. Combine rice with water and salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and cook 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before fluffing.
09 - Dish spicy beef curry over steamed rice and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender, falling apart on your tongue while the sauce clings to every grain of rice.
- It's actually forgiving—you can scale the heat to your comfort, and the coconut milk balances everything beautifully.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding unexpected guests.
02 -
- Don't skip the searing step or rush it—that caramelization on the beef is where half the flavor comes from, and you can't get it by just dropping meat into a sauce.
- If your curry tastes too heavy or oily by the end, you've added too much coconut milk or cooked it with a lid on at the end instead of uncovered—the uncovered simmer lets the sauce reduce and tighten.
- Chili powder and fresh chilies behave differently; fresh chilies add brightness and texture, while powder adds heat and depth, so don't think you can swap them one-to-one.
03 -
- If your sauce breaks or looks oily at the end, stir in a tablespoon of yogurt or a splash of lime juice to emulsify it back together and add brightness.
- Brown your beef in stages and don't crowd the pot—the dry surface of the meat is what creates that flavorful crust that gives the whole curry depth.