This is a really simple recipe that fills the house with yummy smells. It’s also endlessly modifiable – you can swap out the meat (beef, veal and chicken all work as well) or the spices or even omit the tomato sauce and just make it with coconut milk and extra broth. The only trick is to have a good heavy pot (cast-iron is best) and leave on a low flame for a while. As always with this type of dish, it tastes even better reheated the next day. I like to make this on a Sunday for a quick weekday dinner.
- About 600 g meat for sautéeing, cut into chunks
- 2 yellow onions, finely sliced
- 350 g crushed tomatoes (fresh in season, from a jar the rest of the year)
- 250 ml coconut milk (preferably from a non-BPA container)
- 1 T cumin seeds
- 2 T garam masala
- butter or ghee (I use this one)
- sea salt and pepper
- fresh cilantro (optional)
Heat the fat in the cast-iron pot. Add the cumin until it starts smelling yummy. Add the onions and sautée until translucent (about 10 min).
Add the garam masala and the chunks of meat; let it brown on all sides.
Add the coconut milk and the tomatoes, stirring well.
Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat. Simmer for 45 min to an hour, stirring from time to time. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro and serve with buttery pilav.
*Modification for baby: for up to one year, replace the tomatoes with homemade broth and purée the final product. For older babies, this recipe is good to go although you may still want to purée it.
