Beef chilli flash-fry with yoghurt rice
This popular Goan flash-fry makes for a light, refreshing and healthy midweek meal.
Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a wok with a lid.
Ingredients
For the beef chilli flash-fry
- 1½ tsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp groud turmeric
- ½ tsp lime juice
- 200g-250g/7-9oz fillet steak, finely sliced into 0.25cm strips
- 3 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 15-20²µ/½´Ç³ú-¾´Ç³ú fresh root ginger, grated
- 15-20²µ/½´Ç³ú-¾´Ç³ú garlic, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- ½ green pepper, stalk and seeds removed, finely sliced
- ½ red pepper, stalk and seeds removed, finely sliced
- 3-4 spring onions, trimmed, finely sliced
- 55g/2oz plum tomatoes, seeds removed, flesh sliced into thin strips
- 1-2 green chillies, stalk removed, sliced
- 1 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
- salt, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
For the yoghurt rice (dahi bhaat)
- 2-3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 level tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 15-20 fresh curry leaves, shredded
- large pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 2 green chillies, stalks removed, finely chopped
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
- 1 small tomato, skin and seeds removed, diced
- ½ tsp lime juice
- 500g/1lb 2oz low-fat Greek-style yoghurt
- 1 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 400g-500g/14oz-1lb 2oz basmati rice, cooked according to packet instructions with 1 tsp of salt, cooled to room temperature
- 2 tsp salt, or to taste
Method
For the beef chilli flash-fry, in a bowl, mix together all of the ground spices until well combined. Stir in the lime juice to form a smooth paste. Add the beef and mix until completely covered in the marinade. Cover the bowl with cling film and chill the beef in the fridge for at least an hour.
For the yoghurt rice, heat the oil in a lidded wok over a high heat. When the oil is smoking, add the mustard seeds, then immediately cover the wok with the lid and reduce the heat slightly. (Caution: the mustard seeds will pop and can jump out of the pan - keep at a safe distance.)
Once the mustard seeds have popped, remove the lid, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves, and stir-fry for a few seconds, until the cumin seeds darken. Add the asafoetida, chillies and ginger, then stir-fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and lime juice and stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down.
Remove the wok from the heat, allow the pan contents to cool slightly, then stir in the yoghurt, coriander and cooked rice. Season, to taste, with salt. Set aside.
For the beef chilli flash-fry, when the beef has marinated, heat half of the oil in a wok over a high heat. When the oil is smoking, add the marinated beef pieces. Stir-fry lightly for 3-4 minutes, until evenly browned (do not agitate the wok too much). Remove the beef pieces from the wok and set aside on a plate.
Return the wok to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the onions and continue to stir-fry until just softened.
Add the peppers, spring onions, plum tomatoes and chillies to the wok and sprinkle over the chilli powder. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables have softened and are starting to colour. Drizzle in the juices from the reserved beef. Season, to taste, with salt.
When almost all of the beef juices have evaporated from the wok, return the reserved beef to the wok and toss for one minute to reheat. Remove the wok from the heat and stir through the fresh coriander.
To serve, divide the yoghurt rice equally among serving plates and spoon over the chilli beef flash-fry.
Recipe Tips
Though pricey, fillet steak works well in a flash fry because it requires minimal cooking and remains tender. Don't stir the beef too much when frying or it will dry out.
Wines
Casillero del Diablo Carmenere 2012 Chile, Santa Rita 120 Carménère 2013 Central Valley and Chocolan Carmenere 2013 Maipo, Chile.