Tamatar Gosht (Spiced Tomato and Beef Stew)
A favorite childhood dish of mine tied to so many wonderful memories, this tantalizing combination of juicy, tangy tomatoes and tender, spiced meat is unforgettable to say the least. In comparison to Ami's original recipe, this is a slightly modified version, with chunks of beef stew marinated in a few spices including garam masala, coriander powder, ginger + garlic paste and creamy yogurt. A lush gravy of onions, ripened tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, cumin, black pepper and red chili flakes is prepared, to which the tenderized chunks of meat is added and simmered for some time to allow flavors to gradually develop + intensify and cooked to palatable perfection.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For Meat Marination
- 3 lbs beef stew meat
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 3 tbsp plain yogurt *whisked
For Gravy
- 5 tbsp Canola oil *or vegetable
- 1 large yellow onion *chopped
- 5 cloves garlic *chopped
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 28 oz canned whole tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves *crushed
- ¼ cup fried onions
Instructions
For Meat Marination
- Rinse and pat dry beef cubes and place in large mixing bowl. Add whisked yogurt, ginger + garlic paste, spices (garam masala + coriander powder) and Kosher salt to meat. Mix and massage well to coat meat and incorporate all ingredients. Set aside to marinate for at least 30-45 minutes.
For Gravy
- Heat a large pot on medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 8-10 minutes, mixing as needed. Once onions are soft and translucent, add chopped garlic, mix to combine and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium low, add spices (black pepper, chili powder, red pepper flakes, coriander powder and cumin powder) and salt. Add a splash of water (to prevent spices from burning), mix well, continue to cook for 1 minute, then add canned whole tomatoes, break tomatoes apart with wooden spoon and cook gravy for 10-12 minutes on medium heat, mixing as needed. Add marinated meat and ½ cup of water, stir, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover pot and simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes until meat is fork-tender.
- Add crushed fenugreek leaves and fried onions, mix to combine. Cook on medium high heat for a final 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until gravy is reduced and oil separates. Tantalizing Tamatar Gosht is now ready to serve. A warm heaping ladle atop some plain Basmati rice-so very delicious. Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.