This recipe for Indian beef roast is my simpler take on a very popular Keralite dish called erachi ularthiyathu, also known as Kerala beef fry. It’s a flavorful and fragrant dish made with beef roast, curry leaves, and frozen coconut slices (which can easily be found at any Indian grocery store).
Beef is a popular protein among Christians in India, especially in Kerala, a south Indian state located off the Malabar coast.
Keralite food is very different from the north Indian food I grew up eating (e.g. butter chicken, dal makhani). You won’t find Keralite Indian food in most restaurants so if you want to try this south Indian cuisine, you’re going to have to make it yourself. Thankfully, appliances like an instant pot or a slow cooker make this dish easy enough to make at home.
This recipe has the same flavors as Kerala beef fry, but it’s easier to make. The texture will be different though as this recipe calls for shredding the meat.
I use my homemade meat masala in this dish – it’s a great spice mix to keep around the kitchen. Meat masala is what I call south Indian garam masala, it’s very different from the garam masala you find in stores, which is a north Indian blend. I use meat masala in a lot of my Keralite recipes.
As for the rest of the ingredients, you can easily find them at your local Indian grocery store. If you don’t live near one, you can find most ingredients on Amazon, even curry leaves.
Serve this beef roast with some Kerala thoran (cabbage or zucchini would be great) and some matta rice or basmati rice.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 2 red onions diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 serrano pepper minced
- 25-30 curry leaves 2-3 sprigs
- 1 tablespoon meat masala
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili not spicy or paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne adjust to taste
- 2 ½ pounds beef roast chuck blade
- ¼ cup coconut slices
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Press sauté and add the coconut oil to the pot and once it melts, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to sizzle, add the onions and sauté for 7-8 minutes, or until they start to brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger, serrano pepper, curry leaves, spices and stir, then add the beef roast, coconut slices, and lemon juice.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook for 1 hour at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure.
- Open the lid and using two forks, shred the meat. If the meat released a lot of liquid, press the sauté button to boil off any extra liquid.
Slow Cooker:
- In a slow cooker, add the red onions, coconut oil, mustard seeds, and salt. Cook on high for 1 hour while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the coconut slices. Cook on high for 3 hours.
- Shred the meat and add the coconut slices. Cook on high for 1 hour then serve.
- *You can add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker at once – I just like breaking it up the way I have written here because I think it helps bring out more flavor.
just for fun, here’s a photo from 2014:
Lisa Joseph says
Have made this beef recipe multiple times. Always delicious!! So easy with the slow cooker!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Lisa, that’s great to hear – thanks for letting me know how much you like it!
Holly Winchell says
I made the version of this recipe from your Instant Pot cookbook, and WOW! One of my new favorites (though I say that about every one of your recipes I try). I used 3/4 grass fed beef stew meat and 1/4 bison stew meat. So tender and wonderful flavor.
I couldn’t find frozen coconut slices at my usual Indian grocery store so bought dried slices. They seemed to turn out well. Is there a specific benefit to using the frozen ones?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Holly! That’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how this turned out for you! As for the coconut slices – I haven’t tried cooking with dried but if they work, that’s great! I typically tell people to use frozen coconut slices because they’re easily available at any Indian grocery store. Truthfully, fresh coconut slices would be the best option, but asking people to slice a coconut to make a recipe is just asking for bad reviews, lol! Hope you are well 🙂
Nawras says
What happens if you add 100 mls of stock to the recipe, will it change the taste?
stacy :) says
Delicious! Almost as good as the Instant Pot Kerala Beef Fry and so much easier! I’m gradually making my way through all the recipes on your site, Julie and Julia-style, and nothing but winners so far…
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that you liked the dish! And that is the best compliment ever – loved that movie!!
Sura Weiss says
Do you cut up the beef before you cook it? In the picture it looks shredded. My mom would cook a roast all in one big chunk. And, have you tried cooking it on the stove or in the oven? (ie. sweating the onions, adding the spices, searing the meat, them slow cooking in the oven or on the stove top.)
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sura, I don’t cut the beef into pieces – I cook it in a big chunk and then shred it with a fork once it’s done. I also haven’t tried it using a different cooking method but I’m sure it’d work just fine 🙂 Let me know what you think of the recipe if you try it!
Frasier says
What are those fruit slices in the picture?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Frasier, they are coconut slices. Let me know if you try this dish!
A says
Hi, I’m just wondering if you bought that Instant Pot yet? And if so, what do you think about it? I also use the old school pressure cookers:)
My Heart Beets says
Hi! Not yet, but when I do get it (eventually) I will be sure to write a review 🙂
Peg Lewis says
We love Indian food and I have several worn and stained Indian cookbooks, but your blog is new and different and looks like a lot of fun. I just bought some grass-fed beef and wanted to try this recipe. I don’t know what Kashmiri Chili Powder is, so I went to Amazon and found two things – it’s really pricey, and there are no ingredients visible. I’m always careful with ingredients! Do you have your package right there so you could tell me what’s in this product? And is it enough different from other chili powders, or dried chilies, to invest in a package? (And will we be using them in the future?)
Also, Amazon has both dried and fresh curry leaves. Which are you referring to here?
I’m seriously looking forward to the Carrot Halwa!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Peg! I’m so glad that you like my blog 🙂 The only ingredient in Kashmiri powder should be Kashmiri chilies but if you’re worried I’d buy whole dried red chilies and grind them yourself. You can also use a combination of paprika and cayenne to try and replicate the flavor. I use Kashmiri chili powder a lot – it’s not as spicy as cayenne and has a slightly smoky flavor. Do you live near an Indian grocery store? If so, try checking for the spice there – it’ll probably just be a few bucks for a large pack. As for curry leaves – I would buy the fresh leaves and store whatever you don’t use in the freezer. I hope all of this helps! Let me know how this dish and the carrot halwa turn out for you!