Beef Short Ribs in Cinnamon Onion Curry

This recipe is adapted from Vij's book and it is outstanding. I only streamlined it a bit and omitted the wine. It is amazingly delicious and I can't stop thinking about it. I don't think I'll make short ribs any other way for awhile. None of the flavours dominate but all are brought out to their fullest.

I like using short ribs rather than stewing beef because the ribs are so succulent and the fat and bone make the dish so nutritious and tasty. They are not usually available in regular grocery stores, but Stongs, small butcher shops, and Real Canadian Store usually have them if you ask. There is a fad for boneless short ribs lately so you have to ask for the butcher to cut some with the bone in.

Spices

Indian cooks are true artists with spices (Italians with herbs, and Mennnonites with milk dishes). You have to know how to roast and grind spices, but also at what stage to add them, and also how guage how strong the spices are. Some whole spices are added to the hot oil at the start, some ground spices are added a little later with other ingredients, and some are added at the end. Salt and fresh herbs are added at the end.

You should buy whole seeds and roast and grind your own, but fresh ground spices are okay too. You will need a mortar and pestle and for really hard seeds, an electric coffee grinder set aside for spices only. I don't recommend buying curry and masala blends as you don't know what the proportions are.

I buy my herbs and spices locally but would love someone to do a cooking tour of the Indian shops so I know what to buy and can find some things that can't be found elsewhere. I think that's on the list of summer activities --- a self-guided tour of Indian grocery stores.

I used butter instead of ghee and olive oil instead of canola. I left out the wine because I find cooking with wine really changes the taste, so you really have to like that flavour. I kept the fat and bone with the meat. I didn't bother chopping things too fine or pureeing the tomatoes because, after 4 hours cooking, the tomatoes and onions are mush. I used my turkey stock from the freezer.

Vij recommends taking the cinnamon bark out part way through cooking if it seems too strong. Mine wasn't overpowering at all.

My fenugreek seeds were not ground so I used my dedicated spice grinder. The seeds are too hard to grind with mortar and pestle. Fenugreek is salty tasting so do not add more than the recipe specifies and then add a tiny bit of salt before serving.

Beef Short Ribs with Cinnamon Onion Curry

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter or ghee
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds
2 large onions, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. ground fenugreek seeds
1-1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. Mexican chili powder
1 3 inch piece cinnamon bark
3-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
2 packages (about 3 pounds) beef short ribs with fat and bone (8 medium or 6 large)

Instructions:
Take the stock out of the freezer to thaw.
Rinse the short ribs and set on a clean dish.
Chop onions and garlic and hold on the cutting board in separate heaps.
Chop tomatoes, put in a bowl, and measure out the fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, chili, and cinnamon bark and add to tomatoes, but don't stir. Grind any spices if required
Melt ghee or butter in a large pot on medium heat. If using butter, use low heat.
Add oil and increase heat to medium.
Add cumin seeds and allow to sizzle 30 seconds.
Add onions and saute til brown, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and saute til golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Keep sauteing garlic and onions until quite brown, the darker the better, up to another 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add tomatoes and spices.
Stir and increase heat to medium until ghee/oil separates from the tomatoes, about 10 minutes.
Add the stock (and red wine if used) and simmer stirring occasionally, until ghee/oil separates from the stock and rises to the top, about 15 minutes.
Add short ribs, and simmer 4 hours, stirring occasionally. The curry will be dark almost black by this time and incredibly delicious.
Place one short rib in each bowl, and pour curry over top.
Add a very short grinding of salt.