Kerala Beef Roast

My all-time favourite curry!

Tender buffalo meat, slow-cooked with local spices, creates an explosion of flavour that’s simply irresistible. Today, I’m excited to share my favourite recipe with you – the traditional Kottayam-style beef ularthiyathu.

As you may know, Kerala is renowned for its rich culinary heritage, infused with spices and coconut in almost every dish. It’s truly the Land of Spices, and often called God’s Own Country. Kerala cuisine is famous for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, and of course, some of the best seafood in the country.

Buffalo meat or beef is usually prepared as a roast or curry here. Grilled versions are uncommon, but beef fry is a beloved choice for many Malayalees. The magic starts with the masala. While you can find ready-made spice powders these days, I highly recommend using freshly ground masalas — that’s the secret behind the authentic taste of Kerala cuisine.

In Kerala, you can enjoy beef roast almost anywhere — from roadside eateries to high-end restaurants. It’s most popularly paired with Kerala porotta, a soft and flaky layered flatbread. And if you’re feeling adventurous, head to a local toddy shop, where you’ll find spicier, more rustic versions of the dish, along with other mouth-watering delicacies.

Now, about this recipe — it’s one of the simplest and quickest ways to prepare traditional beef roast. After marinating the meat, it’s pressure-cooked until tender, then stir-fried with spices and generous slices of coconut. Those coconut slices are what make Kerala-style beef roast truly unique. As mentioned, coconut is an essential ingredient in most Kerala dishes.

So, let’s dive in and enjoy this iconic dish together!

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Kerala Beef Roast

Author: Ushadevi Cooking Method: Roasting Cuisine: Kerala Courses: Curries & Side Dishes

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 30 mins Rest Time 10 mins Total Time 55 mins

Cooking Temp: 100  C

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year, Winter

Ingredients

Scale

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• 1 kg Buffalo Meat
• 5 Medium Onion (sliced)
• 3 Tomato (sliced)
• 2 Green Chillies (sliced)
• ¹⁄₂ cup Coconut Strips
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon Chilly powder
• 1 tablespoon Black pepper
• 4 tablespoon Coriander powder
• 4-5 Star Anise
• 6-7 Clove
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 6-7 Cardamom
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon Garlic chopped
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Ginger chopped
• 8 Dry Red Chilies
• 1 spring Curry Leaves
• 1 Salt teaspoon (as required)
• 3 teaspoon Oil

Instructions

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1. Clean the beef well and place it in a pressure cooker. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coconut slices, chopped potato, and salt.
2. Cook on medium flame until the beef is tender and fully cooked.
3. In the meantime, heat a spoonful of coconut oil in a pan. Add grated coconut and fry it until it turns almost brown.
4. Grind the fried coconut along with red chillies, coriander powder, meat masala, and a little water to make a thick masala paste.
5. In a separate pan, heat some oil. Add crushed ginger and garlic, and sauté well.
6. When the raw smell goes away, add chopped onions, curry leaves, and salt. Cook until the onions are soft and lightly golden.
7. Add the ground masala paste to the onion mixture and sauté until the masala is well cooked and aromatic.
8. Add the cooked beef (along with any stock) to the masala. Mix well and cook until the gravy thickens and coats the beef pieces.
9. Once everything is well combined and roasted to your desired texture, turn off the flame.