Kerala Beef Fry (Beef Ularthiyathu)
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I can’t believe I still haven’t blogged about one of the most famous non-vegetarian preparations from Kerala, the good old beef fry! Succulent beef pieces cooked in freshly ground spices and sauteed dry with onions and coconut slices, this is one of those famous Thattukada dishes.
Thattukada is Kerala’s version of a fast food joint. While the beef fry is not fast food, the fact that time works in favor of the flavors in this dish and it actually tastes better after reheating makes it an ideal candidate for the fast paced Thattukadas. Beef fry is normally served with hot Kerala Parathas at these places, and it used to be the cheapest non-veg dish in most restaurants when I was young. I hear that things have changed now, beef is more expensive than chicken due to the reduced supply of cattle and wide spread chicken farming.
My roommate and I used to eat out almost every day when we were in college since the hostel food was completely unpalatable. Some days we were totally broke, this beef fry used to be the savior those days. It was only 10 rupees a plate (about 25 cents), divide that by two, you can’t get anything cheaper than that! I still remember how good it was and how the slight sweetness of the fried coconut slices contrasted the heat from the spices. I don’t think I can ever recreate that exact taste, but over time I have come very close to the taste of that Thattukada beef fry.
This is one of those dishes where you really need tons of curry leaves to get that authentic taste, but due to the curry leaves ban in the US, I had to make it without those.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced garlic pieces
- 1 tbsp thinly sliced ginger pieces
- 1 tsp fat free mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced coconut pieces (available frozen in Indian grocery stores)
- 2 cups thinly sliced onions
- lots of curry leaves (not really optional, but I made it without these)
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
To roast and grind
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 10 dry red chillies
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1″ cinnamon
Method
Heat a skillet and dry roast the ingredients under to “to roast and grind” section. Grind these to a smooth powder in a spice grinder or a coffee grinder.
Place the beef pieces in a pressure cooker. Add the spice powder, garlic, ginger, coconut, mayonnaises and vinegar and mix well. Keep it marinated for about 15 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and pressure cook for about 8 minutes after the first whistle.
(If you don’t have a pressure cooker, add about a cup of water and cook in a pan with a tight lid, occasionally stirring to make sure that the bottom doesn’t burn. Cook for about 20 minutes till the beef pieces are tender. )
In a large frying pan, heat the oil and add the onions and curry leaves. Add salt to taste and saute till the onions start to brown.
Stir in the cooked beef mixture to the pan, and saute on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes till it is completely dry.
Serve with some lime/lemon wedges. This goes best with cold beer. I love having it with white rice and yogurt.
Note: This is a pretty hot dish. You can reduce the quantity of the chillies and peppercorns to tone down the heat.
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Category: Appetizers and Snacks, Beef or Veal, Good with Drinks, India - Kerala
I can’t digest red meat easily and usually stay away from it – but my friend’s cousin Mercy makes the best Syrian Catholic beef fry EVER!!! More than the beef , its the yummy flavour of curry leaves, coconut and spices that makes my mouth water!
I have eaten this (feels like another life)
and your post made me remember the taste… easter at my roomie’s home in Trivandrum!!
Sig, that looks delish :drool: …so there’s a curry leaf ban?
Sig, I don’t eat beef but that dish looks delicious. Maybe our curry leaves come from a place different from CA or FL, I got some even yesterday.
I am a vegetarian Sig but this does look delicious..
Ahh…Now that is one authentic kerala meat recipe.. coconut slices and all..now why are curry leaves banned in the US?
I have a curry leaf plant in my very own kitchen
oooooh lovely pic! i dont eat beef but cant help thinking yumm lookin at that pic.
even i cant believe u hadn’t blogged this one yet
that must be one spicy dish
and who can forget the hostel specials
I dont eat beef but look a lot of mutton chukka fry !! :drool:
That is a lovely enticing picture Sig.
Flower): Yet another tasty meat fry. 
It looks traditional until the ingredient mayonnaise caught my eye – so that won’t make it traditional right?
Anyways, what is with the mayonnaise? Was that something you stumbled upon or a happy accident?
We don’t have a curry leaves problem yet. I suspect we’re getting the stuff illegally…
:sealed:
Where’s the thattukada style parotta, girl? :drool: I have had food at such a joint once, but it was lip-smacking, totally yummy!
I ain’t eating no beef, but the spices here sound *so* good!
Did I say I’m honnggrrreeeeeee? :drool:
Hey how come you are not even jet lagged
You are whipping up one delight after the other soon after landing
Guys,
let me know how much curry leaves you need; we grow ‘em as fences for our back yard and when the wind blows, the whole neighborhood smells of kariapala…I am sure importing of leaves is banned; but there is plenty to go around for all the mallus in the US grown in many backyards in Texas, Florida and California.
Your Tampa Chetan….
Just tried a piece of beef recently – after many, many years. I’ve eaten only by accident
My friend says I should eat this dish to get the real taste of beef!
Wow, love the flavors in this dish. Will definitely try it with mutton sometime!
Love your blog and have tried many recipes from here.
Where do you get coconut slices? and can I substitute grated coconut?
Great recipe Sig….I’ve been following this recipe two times in a row now! My husband who is a good non-veg citique loves it! But both times I cudnt get coconut slivers. They wud’ve tasted heavenly!!
Looks like a great recipe. But what cut of beef should I buy for this. I tried with the steak cut but there was some bad smell. One of my friends suggested the beef stew pieces. But still the smell was there. I never had this strange smell when I had beef fry in Kerala. Is there any way to get rid of it?
BTW I must tell you that the last time I tried beef fry, I was in Omaha NE. May be it’s the famous Nebraska corn-fed beef that’s causing the smell. I’m in the East coast now and may be it’s different here. I’ll try your recipe again and let you know how it turns out. Thanks a lot.
This came out just perfect. Thanks for recipe and the detailed steps. Can’t wait to try some of the others you have posted. I got the beef at the local whole Foods store (stew pieces). Yes, there’s that “strange” smell that you don’t get back home. However, with all the spices in it – it got better the next day and was even tastier. My 2.5 year old just dug in with some porottas on the side.
Thanks a bunch. Keep them coming.
Loooooooooooooooved the dish – came out ta-da! Thanks a bunch.
Hi sigma…
Im new to ur blog.im from kanjirappally ..endha recipe collections…ellathinum oru pakka kottayam style undallo….so happy to c u…fots ellam kidilan ayitundu..perfect.
alright im gonna try this at home today .. Its gonna be boys night at my place n im gonna psyche em out .. wish me luck
hi,
this was really easy to cook
and it tasted really reakky good…..
regards,
archana
It is fantastic………..cant but think of the golden days
i spent in Gods own country
I am wondering about the purpose of ‘fat free mayonnaise’ in this recipe.
yummy