Quick Fix: Curried Coconut Beef is delicious and comforting meal

9 October 2023

Linda Gassenheimer | Tribune News Service (TNS)

Fragrant spices add great flavor to this easy beef curry dinner. The combination of tender beef, diced tomatoes and coconut milk creates a delicious and comforting meal. It’s served over basmati rice. This is a type of long-grain aromatic white rice. Happily, it’s available in a microwave version, which means you can make the side dish in minutes and there’s no pot to wash.

A hint about the curry powder for this dish. The curry powder sold in supermarkets is a blend of about 15 herbs, spices and seeds. This type of powder loses its flavor quickly. If you have curry powder that is more than 6 months old, buy a new one. It will add more flavor to the dish.

Helpful Hints:

— You can use 4 crushed garlic cloves instead of 2 teaspoons minced garlic.

— You can use chopped sweet onion instead of frozen chopped onion.

— A quick way to defrost the peas and onion is to place them in a sieve and run hot tap water over them.

— Brown rice can be used instead of basmati.

Countdown:

— Prepare all ingredients.

— Make Rice.

— Make curried beef.

Shopping List:

To buy: 3/4 pound grass-fed tenderloin, 1 package frozen diced onion, 1 bag frozen peas, 1 jar minced garlic, 1 small bottle curry powder, 1 small bottle ground turmeric, 1 small bottle ground cumin, 1 can reduced sodium canned diced tomatoes, 1 can lite coconut milk and 1 package microwaveable basmati rice.

Staples: canola oil, salt and black peppercorns.

CURRIED COCONUT BEEF

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

3/4 pound grass-fed tenderloin

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 cup frozen diced onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 cup reduced sodium canned diced tomatoes

1 cup light coconut milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut beef into 3/4-to-1-inch pieces. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown for about 1 minute turning them over as they brown. Remove to a plate. Add the onion, minced garlic, curry powder and turmeric and saute 1 minute, mixing spices together. Add tomatoes with their juice. Stir to combine all ingredients. Add the coconut milk and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well for 1 minute. Return beef to the skillet and toss in the sauce 1 minute to warm through. Divide in half and serve over the rice on two dinner plates.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 420 calories (48% from fat), 22.6 g fat (11.2 g saturated, 7.3 g monounsaturated), 84 mg cholesterol, 39.9g protein, 18.9g carbohydrates, 5.7 g fiber, 150 mg sodium.

SPICED RICE

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

Microwaveable basmati rice to make 1 1/2 cups

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1 teaspoon canola oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook rice according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2 cups and save any remaining rice for another meal. Add cumin and peas and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide in half and place on 2 dinner plates.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 240 calories (16% from fat), 4.2 g fat (0.6 g saturated, 2.2 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 6.4 g protein, 44.4 g carbohydrates, 4.8 g fiber, 11 mg sodium.

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