Authentic Beef Curry Recipe (South Indian Style)

A good beef curry is comfort in a bowl — tender beef in a deep, spiced gravy that’s perfect with rice, appam or parotta. This South Indian–style beef curry recipe builds a rich beef masala from scratch using bone-in curry cut for maximum flavour. Here’s how we make it at The Cut House, Bangalore.

Bone-in or boneless?

For the richest gravy, use bone-in curry cut — the bones and marrow release flavour and body as the curry cooks. Prefer leaner, quicker cooking? Go boneless. Both work beautifully here.

Ingredients (serves 4–5)

• 1 kg bone-in beef curry cut (or boneless curry cut)
• 3 onions, finely sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger–garlic paste
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• Beef masala: 2 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp fennel powder
• ½ cup grated coconut, lightly roasted and ground (optional, for a thicker gravy)
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Build the base. In coconut oil, fry onions until golden, add ginger–garlic paste and curry leaves, then the tomatoes; cook until soft and jammy.
2. Bloom the masala. Add the spice powders and salt; cook on low for a minute until fragrant.
3. Add the beef. Stir in the curry cut and coat well in the masala. Sear for 5 minutes.
4. Cook it down. Add hot water to cover and pressure-cook 15–20 minutes (5–6 whistles), or simmer 1–1.5 hours until fork-tender.
5. Finish. Stir in the ground roasted coconut if using, simmer to thicken, and temper with curry leaves in hot oil.

Chef’s tips

• Brown the onions properly — that colour is your gravy’s backbone.
• Let it rest 10 minutes before serving; the flavours deepen.
• Leftovers make an incredible Kerala beef fry the next day — just dry-roast with coconut slices.

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