Malaysian Coconut Red Curry Beef

Incase you haven't heard, I'm heartily sick of poultry of any kind! Everything we seem to eat lately is grouse, turkey, chicken, duck, goose, any type of bird really. I needed a break! Something different, something that doesn't have wings. In my exploration in my freezer, I came across two bison steaks that haven't been used. Don't ask me how they escaped earlier detection, but their time had come.



Malaysian Coconut Red Curry "Beef"

Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 C unsalted raw cashews
1/4 C raisins (the kind without sulfur please)
1 lb boneless grilling steak, thinly sliced (it's important to use a good steak for a tender finished product)
2 - 3 hot chile peppers, minced (do it to your own heat tolerance)
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 C Basic Gravy (recipe follows at end)
1 C full fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
2 tsp freshly chopped mint

Directions

1. In a large deep skillet, heat half of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the cashews and raisins, cook until the cashews are toasted and the raisins start to get all puffed up. Remove from the pan leaving as much oil behind as possible. Set them aside, you'll need them again later.

2. Add the beef to the pan in batches. Brown on both sides, adding more oil as you think it becomes necessary. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3. Reduce your heat and add any remaining vegetable oil you have to the pan. Toss in your chile peppers and the bell pepper, cook until the start to soften. Stir in the Basic Gravy and cook that for about a minute.

4. Add in your beef, along with any juices that may have come out in the bowl. Stir this together in the pan until it's well mixed. Pour in the coconut milk and soy sauce, then bring up to a simmer.

5. Reduce your heat and continue to simmer (stirring often), until your sauce has thickened slightly and the beef is cooked to your personl preference (around 8 minutes for medium, my favourite).

6. Stir in the cilantro and mint, and season to taste with salt. Serve it sprinkled with the cashews and raisins.

Basic Gravy

Ingredients
1 280z can of tomatoes with their juices
2 C roughly chopped onions
1/3 C whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 C thinly sliced, peeled gingerroot
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 C ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground tumeric
1 Tbsp garam masala
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions
1. In your food processor, puree the tomatoes with the juice until they are smooth. Set aside in a seperate bowl.

2. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger to your food processor. Pulse them together until they are finely chopped, but not juicy please!

3. In a skillet on the stove, heat your oil over medium-high heat. Add your onion mixture and cook it, stirring until the onions start to release their liquid.

4. Stir in the coriander, tumeric, garam masala, salt, and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook this mixture until it starts to dry out and gets thick and pasty (like tomato paste).

5. Stir in your pureed tomatoes, and bring it all up to a simmer. Reduce your heat and boil very gently, stirring very often until it has thickened slightly.

6. Use as directed in recipe, and freeze extra in 1/2 C portions.